Abstract: The collection consists of 215 cuneiform tablets, the majority of which were written by students in ancient Mesopotamian schools.
Tablet subjects include writing composition and language, mathematics, science, law and religion. The chronological range
of the tablets extends from the Uruk Period (c. 3200 BCE) to the Old Babylonian period (c. 1800-1600 BCE). The collection
was donated to UCLA by Lloyd Cotsen in January, 2011.

Language: Finding aid is written in
English.

Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.

Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the
creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright
owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of Cotsen Family foundation, 2011.

Processing Note

Processed by Sara Brumfield in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Kelley Wolfe Bachli,
2011.

The Lloyd Cotsen Cuneiform Tablet Collection was created from other smaller, private collections, acquired over several decades.
The tablets in the Cotsen Collection were chosen specifically for their scholastic content. The tablets were integrated in
the existing Cotsen Children's Library Collection housed at Princeton University. In 2011 the Cotsen Institute donated the
cuneiform tablet section of the Children's Library to UCLA Special Collections.

Scope and Content

Overall, this collection provides a comprehensive view of scribal training and writing techniques in the Mesopotamian educational
system covering a span of 1600 years. The collection consists of 215 cuneiform tablets (211 school texts and four non-school
texts) from Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq). These tablets were written in the Mesopotamian school, the
eduba ("House of Tablets"), by students training to become professional scribes,
dubsar ("tablet writer").

The majority of tablets in this collection date to the Old Babylonian period (c. 1900-1600 BCE), which was known for the development
and proliferation of individual scribal schools. In addition to the Old Babylonian texts there are tablets from the Uruk III
period (c. 3200-3000 BCE), the Early Dynastic III period (c. 2600-2350 BCE), the Old Akkadian period (c. 2340-2200 BCE), and
the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100-2000 BCE).

School texts cover a rich variety of topics, yet comprise a very small percentage of known cuneiform documents. This collection
includes exercises in vocabulary, sign formation, literature, grammar, law, epistles, administration, sealing and stylus practices.
These student exercises cover the entire curriculum of scribal training, from the most basic beginner lessons to the advanced
lessons of the final stage of education. The wide variety of exercise offers researchers unique insight into the everyday
life of the ancient Mesopotamian.

Typical for the period and genre, the majority of the school texts are written in Sumerian. A few dozen tablets, mostly letters,
are written in Akkadian, while a handful of lexical texts contain multiple languages (Sumerian, Akkadian, West Semitic). It
is not clear in the remaining tablets, mostly mathematical exercises, which language is being used by the scribe.

The non-school texts include one legal document from the Early Dynastic period, and three letters written by king Rim-Suen
of Larsa (c. 1822-1763 BCE). These royal letters are part of an ancient archive that has since been dispersed across several
collections in America and Europe.

Organization and Arrangement

Tablets are described at the item level.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Condition: A lenticular tablet that has been broken into at least six pieces and repaired
with adhesive. The repairs are best viewed from the unincised face. This face has multiple losses and has
adhesive residue on much of the surface as well as in cracks. The incised face has a strange surface
texture, perhaps a light textile or finger print impression? There are two side-by-side gouges on this face that
appear to have been made with a modern tool.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a student exercise listing the epithets for the deity Ashgi.

Condition: A small lenticular tablet of light yellow-baff clay. The tablet has multiple
losses and is actively crumbling and powdery. There are three main areas of loss along the edge. The
uninscribed face has small hairline cracks throughout. The incised face has areas of dark concretion
scattered overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary text is a student's vocabulary practice for writing different types of
birds.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that is actively crumbling. The tablet has some deep
complete and incomplete cracks on the inscribed face and over portions of the edge. There are other
shallower incomplete cracks overall. There are surface losses on the inscribed face that obscure portions of
the cuneiform inscriptions. The uninscribed surface is uneven: there are some rough, slightly raised patches
of clay as well as some pit-like losses overall. There is a black spot near the edge, as well as some mottled
black areas overall. There is some spalling visible on one portion of the edge.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of wooden objects.

Condition: A small, lenticular tablet. There is one loss along the edge, primarily on the
incised face. The surface of the incised face has a strange sheen and texture and may be coated with an
unknown substance. The unincised face has white concretions, possibly salts, scattered all over the surface
and in small cracks and depressions. There is a small, square paper label adhered to the uninscribed face
that reads, "1".

Condition: A lenticular tablet of grayish-brown clay. There are incomplete, but deep,
cracks scattered overall- primarily along the edge showing on the incised face and radiating out from the
loss on the edge. On the unincised face cracks run from the edge loss and are scattered across other areas
as well. The loss to the edge is roughly crescent shaped and includes a gouge left by a tool. This was
probably a modern tool used during excavation, which caused the loss. There are white concretions
scattered across the surface of both faces; these may be salts. There is a small, square paper label marked
"2" adhered to the unincised face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary exercise lists different types of reed, a plentiful resource in ancient
Mesopotamia.

Condition: A small lenticular tablet with a large gouge and loss on the uninscribed
(convex) face. The gouge was probably made by a modern tool when the object was excavated. This loss
and gouge have no surface patina. There is a small, white paper label marked "3" adhered to the uninscribed
face.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has broken into two pieces. These two pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. There is a deep loss next to the break near the center of the tablet on the
convex, uninscribed face. There are other, shallower surface losses around the break and the deep loss.
There are several incomplete cracks overall. There are white concretions visible overall, but are particularly
concentrated on the area with losses. There are some shallow gouge marks on the inscribed face that might
have been made when the clay was still wet, based on the patina. There is a small, rectangular label
adhered to the uninscribed face near the edge with a typed number "4".

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary text is a student's vocabulary practice for writing different types of
birds.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has several incomplete cracks throughout, mostly on the
convex, uninscribed face. There is a gouge mark on the uninscribed face that was most likely made by a
modern tool. There are some shallow surface losses around this gouge. There is a small loss on one part of
the edge and other minor losses to the surface overall. There are some white concretions visible overall.
There is a small, cream-colored label adhered to the uninscribed face with a typed number "5".

Condition: This lenticular tablet has incomplete cracks throughout. There are some
gouge marks on the uninscribed face made by a modern tool. There are a few other surface losses along the
edge and on the inscribed face. There is a pit-like gouge on the inscirbed face -- it is difficult to tell if this
was made while the clay was still wet or after the tablet had dried. There is a small, cream-colored label
adhered to the convex face near the edge with an underlined, typed number "6". There is a white substance
visible on portions of the surface. There are also some white concretions visible overall.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has some incomplete cracks throughout. There is a
gouge mark that runs from one of the edges to the surface of the uninscribed face. This mark was made with
a modern tool. There is a minor loss at part of the edge on the inscribed face as well as some minor
spalling. There are other minor surface losses overall. There are white concretions visible overall. There is a
small cream-colored label with a typed number "7" adhered to the uninscribed face.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has several incomplete cracks overall on the uninscribed
face. There cracks may possibly lead to spalling (?) There are some minor surface losses overall. There are
some white concrections visible overall. There is a small, cream-colored label adhered to the uninscribed
face near the edge that has a typed number "8".

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This short exercise lists a student's practice vocabulary for types of pots.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has several incomplete cracks on the uninscribed face,
possibly this is the beginning stages of spalling (?). On this same face there are some surface losses,
possibly from spalling, as well as some other small losess. There are several white concretions visible
overall. There is a small cream-colored label adhered to the uninscribed face that has an underlined typed
number "9".

Condition: This lenticular tablet fragment has a large loss at one end. The edge at this
loss is jagged and uneven. There is a gouge on this edge that most likely was made with a modern tool.
There are several incomplete cracks on the uninscribed face -- possibly these are an indication that the
surface on this face is starting to spall. There are some surface losses on this face, possibly from spalling.
There are several white concretions visible overall. There is a small, cream-colored label with a typed number
"10" adhered to the uninscribed face near the edge with the loss.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has some incomplete cracks on the uninscribed face.
There are some very minor losses to the surface of the uninscribed face. There are some small, white
concretions visible on the surface overall. There is a small, cream-colored label with a typed "11" adhered to
the uninscribed face near the edge.

Condition: This small, lenticular tablet is made of a grayish-brown clay. There is a small
loss to the edge on the incised face. There is a one-inch gouge in the center of the unincised face, which is
more convex that the opposite (flat) face. A small, square paper label marked "12" is adhered to the
unincised face.

Condition: A lenticular tablet of light brown-gray clay. There is a loss along the edge,
primarily to the more convex, uninscribed face. The loss is approximately 1 3/4-inches long. There is an
incomplete crack that penetrates from one face to the other but has not spread across the diameter of the
tablet. The uninscribed face has a scattering of white accretions, probably salt crystals. In one area the
white material is deposited under a small crack and appears to be in the process of causing spalling. There
is a small, square white paper label adhered to the uninscribed side that reads, "13".

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This brief exercise is a student's vocabulary practice in writing types of beer, a popular
commodity in ancient Mesopotamia.

Condition: This lenticular tablet has a lot of damage to its surface on the inscribed face.
There are several shallow losses, many of which are circular. Possibly these were made with a tool (?). On
the uninscribed face, there are several incomplete cracks and a lot of spalling. There is a gouge near one
edge and scratch marks overall although it is unclear if these were made while the clay was still wet, or after
the tablet dried. There are some other minor chips to the surface on this face and on the edges. The surface
of the tablet, particularly on the inscribed face is a mottled black and brown color. There are white
concretions visible overall. There is a small, cream-colored label typed with the number "14", adhered to the
uninscribed face near the edge.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that has broken into three pieces. These three pieces have
been reattached with an adhesive. This clear adhesive is visible on the surface of the tablet along the breaks.
There are losses long the breaks as well as two areas with losses along the edge that extend across the
surface of the tablet, particularly on the inscribed face. There is a grooved gouge mark running across this
same face, as if the clay was roughly scraped. It is difficult to tell if this was made while the clay was still
wet or if it was made after the tablet had dried. There are a few incomplete cracks on the uninscribed face
near a break and area with losses. There some white concretions visible, mostly on the inscribed face along
a portion of the breaks and a portion of the losses around the breaks. There are some minor surface losses
overall. Most of the tablet is tan-colored with some translucent black spots. Some portions of the tablet,
mostly near the edges are a mottled cream color. This looks to be a thin layer of a white substance,
possible a deposit (?). There is a small, cream-colored label with a typed number "15" that is adhered to the
uninscribed face near an edge.

Condition: Lenticular cuneiform tablet made of chocolate brown clay. There is a loss at
one edge that reveals a lighter brown substance- this substance may be the interior clay of the tablet, or it
may be brown fill that is partially filling the break. A small light brown deposit on the surface of the tablet in
this same area may be dried fill. About an inch away from the break there are two round gouges on the face.
Diagonally across the face from the break, the edge of the tablet is flat rather than curved. This area has the
same patina as the rest of the face, so if it is the result of damage, it is old damage. The opposite face also
shows the break and loss already described, but it is less prominent on this face. There is a shallow gouge
or chip near the loss, toward the center of the face. Near the flattened edge of the tablet, there is a small,
oblong hole that reveals part of the interior of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This advanced student exercise is from a praise poem of Iddin-Dagan (version B), who was king under the First Dynasty of Isin,
from 1974-1954 BCE. This excerpt includes lines 3-5.

Condition: Small, rectangular tablet of light brown clay, inscribed on one face only. One
corner of the tablet is lost, and this damage is visible on both faces. On the inscribed face, there is an area
of spalling next to the lost corner that extends 2/3 of the way across the face. On the plain face, there is a
deep, diagonal gouge next to the lost corner. At the opposite end of the plain face, there is a small, shallow
gouge near the edge. There are several spots of dark brown discoloration on the plain face.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. The tablet has uneven edges, this is
possibly due to the original shape of the tablet and some losses. One of the corners is diagonal. It is difficult
to gauge whether or not this is the result of the clay being pressed in while wet or if it is from a later loss.
One end of the tablet is narrower than the other in width. It seems likely that this was the original shape of
the tablet and not a result of losses from damage. One of the faces has losses to the surface as well as
some white concretions. The other face has a small, round gouge, although it is not clear what caused this
damage. There are also a few cracks on the edges.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in sign formation and sound. Notice that the tablet
turns left-to-right not top-to-bottom, as is customary.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. The shape of the tablet is slightly
irregular: two of the top corners were pressed in, most likely while the clay was wet. Another corner has a
loss. There are incomplete cracks on the uninscribed face. The surface of the face is uneven with a few
depressions, which were most likely made when the clay was still wet.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay that has some losses at three of its
corners. There are some groove marks and depressions on the edges of the tablet. While most of these
marks seem to be minor scratches or losses to the surface, a few of the marks on the thickest edge were
possibly made by an implement. Possibly, these marks were made when the clay was wet, though it is
difficult to tell. There is a black patina with a little sheen on many of the raised areas of the surface; possibly
this is a result of handling or wear.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a beginner student's practice writing compound signs. The text has
been overwritten at least once making it difficult to reconstruct the contents of the tablet.

Condition: Square-shaped tablet with one corner pressed in, most likely when the clay
was still wet. There are a few losses on the inscribed face near the edges and one circular loss along one
edge. The uninscribed face has an uneven surface- there are some grooves and ditches where it looks like
the clay was pressed or pinched when wet during the molding process. On this same side, there is also a
small, circular gouge on the surface, possibly made by an implement. While the patina is quite dark overall,
there are notably some black spots on one edge.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise lists vocabulary that begin with "ki". This type of
acrographic grouping was popular in ancient Mesopotamian practice vocabularies.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that appears to be stable. There are small losses to the
surface of the convex face of the tablet. There are small, incomplete cracks that run throughout the flat face
of the tablet. Adhesive has been applied to many of these cracks. There are deeps erasure marks on this
same side, made when the clay was wet. There are very few cuneiform impressions visible on either side.
There are a few small cream-colored concretions visible on the convex face.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This math problem is largely erased and difficult to reconstruct.

Box 2

Item: 11 Cotsen ID: 40706
School text, literary exercise from a variant version of Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the
Netherworld
Old Babylonian Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: Lenticular tablet appears to be in stable condition. There are minor losses on
the surfaces of both faces. There appears to be some minor spalling on the flat face of the tablet. There is a
complete crack running from one edge to approximately the center of tablet. This crack is also running along
one of the incised horizontal lines on the flat face. There is also a small, circular pit on this same face,
possibly made by an implement, that does not look to be a part of the existing cuneifrom impressions. There
are also very tiny spots with some sheen near the edge on the flat face that is possibly some
coating.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is an advanced student's exercise excerpt from the popular Gilgamesh myths.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that has been broken approximately in half. The two pieces
have been reattached with adhesive and the breaks have been filled with clay or clay-like substance. There
is a small triangular loss near one end of the break on the surface of the flat face. That possibly was
reattached or filled. There is a small loss on the edge at the other end of the break. About a quarter of the
surface on the flat face has a sheen-possibly this is some coating or from wear.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's vocabulary practice includes Akkadian term for ambidexterous, which
has only two other attestations.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that has broken apart in three pieces. The pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. There are some losses overall, particularly along the breaks and the edges.
Gouges in one area at an edge look to have been caused by a modern tool. Another notable loss is a
rectangular chunk near the center on the surface of the flat face. There are other incomplete cracks overall
on both faces and some spalling on the flat face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a student's practice writing personal names.

Condition: Rectangular tablet made of dark brown (almost black) clay. On one face, the
corner has a scrape that appears to be caused by a modern tool- the clay here is lighter in color than the
rest of the tablet. There is a small, chipped loss at one corner. The opposite face has a small chip or gouge
near center. This damage is ancient, as it has the same patina as the rest of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise contains a lawsuit judgment between Ilaba-bani and Qurud-Ishtar.
Qurud-Ishtar must compensate Ila-bani for poor wall maintenance that allowed Ila-bani's possessions to be
stolen. This is a duplicate of 52174.23b.

Condition: Rectangular tablet made of brown clay that has broken into three pieces. The
three pieces have been attached with an adhesive. One of the breaks runs across the center of the tablet;
the other break runs from one corner to the center. On the convex face, there are patches of adhesive visible
along these breaks. On the same face are large losses along the crack, including one particularly deep loss
close to the center. There are other, smaller losses visible overall on this face, creating a rough surface. It is
unclear whether these losses are modern or ancient. There are some black patches and white accretions
visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise contains a lawsuit judgment between Ilaba-bani and Qurud-Ishtar.
Qurud-Ishtar must compensate Ila-bani for poor wall maintenance that allowed Ila-bani's possessions to be
stolen. This is a duplicate of 52174.23a

Condition: Rectangular tablet that appears to have broken into two pieces. These pieces
have been reattached with an adhesive. There are several complete and incomplete cracks overall, most of
which have been covered with a clear adhesive. This adhesive covers areas around the cracks as well. There
are two pieces of a fibrous white material (possibly paper) adhered to the surface of the adhesive in one
corner on the flat face. On this same face, there is a loss that looks modern (based on the patina) as well as
a chip along the possible break. There is a loss on the convex face that appears to at least partially have
been caused by a modern tool, A portion of this loss, however, may have been made when the clay was still
wet. There is another shallow loss on this face, but it is difficult to tell when it was made. The surface of the
tablet is a mottled tan and dark brown color. There are white concretions visible overall. The tablet is actively
crumbling.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a loss along one short edge. On one face there are a
few spots of clear adhesive filling cracks along this break. There is a shallow spot of spalling next to part of
this adhesive. One the opposite face there are two smooth, diagonal gouges along the broken edge. These
appear to be made by a strike from a modern tool because the clay here is a lighter color than the rest of
the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian and Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet is a student practice writing a loan contract for silver. Note that the personal
names the same as 52178.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that appears to have broken into three pieces. These
pieces have been reattached with a clear adhesive. The adhesive is also visible on the surface along some
portions of the breaks. There are also some incomplete cracks stemming from these breaks. A portion of
one of these cracks is also covered with a clear adhesive. There are some losses along the breaks. Notably,
there is one semi-circular chunk lost along one of the breaks near an edge. Three of the corners have minor
losses. The fourth corner has a large gouge made with a modern tool. Next to this gouge on one edge is
second gouge with a rougher surface. It is unclear if this second gouge was made when the clay was still
wet or after the clay had dried. There are some small, white concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice tablet is an adoption contract. It includes a date that names Rim-
Suen, the 10th king of the Larsa dynasty, who reigned from 1822-1763 BCE.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has been broken into two pieces. These pieces have
been reattached with an adhesive. The adhesive is visible on the surface around the break in some areas.
On one face is a long, incomplete crack running from one corner with a loss to the center, with smaller
incomplete cracks branching out in some spots. On the other face, there is another incomplete crack that
runs from one corner to a point on the break. Adhesive has also been applied to these cracks and the
surface around the cracks. There is a large loss along the break near one edge; a large chunk is missing.
There are smaller losses along the rest of the break creating gaps and crevices. It is possible that a portion
of the break on one face has been filled. On this same face, there is another loss to the surface that is
partially covered with adhesive and possibly the remains of a fill. Along the edge with the large loss, there
are four pit-like losses, possibly made by an implement. There are spots and lines of white-grey concretions
visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a student's exercise in writing a contract for the sale of land, a task with which
every scribe needed to be proficient.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. The tablet has broken into two pieces.
The two pieces have been reattached with an adhesive. The adhesive was also applied to the surface around
the break. There are two complete and one incomplete cracks near one corner on which adhesive have also
been applied. There are a few more incomplete cracks in the same area that are not covered with adhesive.
There are some losses on the surface near the break as well as some small gaps caused by losses. There
are some cream-colored concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice contract is for a loan of silver from the king to Lu-Nanna in order to
buy precious stones and prestige goods for the deity Ninsianna. The same personal names are used in
52176.

Condition: Square tablet of grey-tan clay with a few minor losses to the surface. The
surface has a few rough patches and areas where the surface is blackened. There are several white
concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a student's drawing of a plan of a rectangular plot of land. The
dimensions are given on reverse.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with several complete and incomplete cracks throughout.
There are losses at one corner and minor losses in another corner. There are also minor losses to the
surface of the tablet overall. There are white and tan concretions visible on the surface overall. There is one
noticeable deposit near one corner -- this could possibly be dirt.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is practice in drawing the layout of a large estate complete with
irrigation and field boundaries. The reverse has been erased.

Condition: Lenticular tablet broken approximately in half, with the two pieces reattached
with an adhesive. There is another complete crack near the edge. There is an incomplete crack on the face
with cuneiform impressions that runs roughly parallel to the break from one edge to the center of the tablet
on this same side. There is a loss at one edge, a large portion of which has been re-attached with adhesive.
There is another loss along an edge. Near this loss are some additional chip marks on the surface of the flat
face. The convex face has some incomplete cracks.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This advanced student exercise is an excerpt from Lipit-Eshtar's Praise in the Eduba
(lines 54-55).

Condition: Lenticular tablet with a third of the flat face (the inscribed face) scraped off,
probably while the clay was still wet. This same face is partially coated. There is a small loss on this same
face that looks to have been reattached with adhesive. There is more scraping on the domed face at the
edge near the drawing of a face, also most likely scraped while the clay was still wet. On this same side,
there are also some small gouge marks near the center of the tablet. There are a few white concretions
visible on the surface overall.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a drawing of a face on the reverse. The obverse is too illegible to
reconstruct.

Condition: Rectangular tablet broken in three pieces. The pieces have been reattached
with an adhesive. This adhesive has also been applied to the face of the tablet along the breaks. One piece
was slightly misaligned during reattachement, as there is a gap between this piece and the other two pieces
at the break. There are chunks of tablet missing along the breaks, especially at the convergence point of
the breaks in the center. Three of the four corners have losses. One of these corners has additional losses
that extend across the surface of both faces. The surface of the convex face in this area is covered with
adhesive.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is an advanced student's exercise in writing an unidentified proverb.

Box 4

Item: 4 Cotsen ID: 40713a-b
School text, literary exercise from a hymn to Nergal Old Babylonian Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: Rectangular tablet with some losses at two of the corners. Near one of these
corners on the convex face is another loss, a portion of which has been reattached with adhesive. The
adhesive is also visible on a portion of the surface near the break. On this same side, there are minor chips
to the surface. There is one larger chip near a corner. On the flat face (with cuneiform impressions) there are
a few small losses and some surface abrasions. There is also a small, incomplete crack near one side, and
a hole, possibly made by an implement near one corner.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This advanced student practice is a praise to the underworld deity Nergal with no known
parallel yet.

Condition: Square tablet fragment with a loss of approximately one quarter of the tablet
in one corner. There are some minor, incomplete cracks on the flat face and some small losses to the
surface of the domed face. There is an impression near one corner that does not look to be part of the
cuneiform impressions. There is also an orange spot on one side edge. Where the tablet has been broken,
the sides are uneven. There are some small, imcomplete cracks on the other sides.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a student's practice writing personal names. This tablet is
signed by its scribe, Sin-man(sum).

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. There are considerable losses to one
corner, especially on the face with only a few cuneiform impressions. There are a few other losses, both
along edges. There are white concretions overall. There is a slight sheen to a portion of the surface on the
face with more cuneiform impressions; possibly this is some coating.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner exercise is a student's practice writing personal names. The reverse is
unfinished.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with losses at all four corners. One corner is covered with a
patch of adhesive. There is also a small patch of white fibers adhered to the surface of this adhesive. There
are two deep gouges on the flat face as well as other more shallow losses to the surface. There are some
shallow groove marks on the convex face -- possibly this was done while the clay was still wet. There are
other very minor scores on this surface. There is a portion of one edge where it looks like a loss has been
reattached with adhesive and it is possible that portions of the breaks have been filled. A portion of this area
is noticeably raised from the rest of the surface- it is possible this was a fill, or just part of the makeup of the
original tablet. There are several areas overall where there are white or tan concretions. A few of these areas
on the convex face also have some black concretions.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. The flat face has an incomplete crack
running down the center. There is also a groove mark on one side of the tablet that looks like it was made
with an implement while the clay was still wet. There is a small loss near one corner on this same face.
There are some shallow marks on the convex face that seems to be remains of cuneiform impressions (in
addition to the clearly impressed cuneiform script at one side). Possibly some of the inscriptions have worn
away as there are no groove lines indicating scraping. There is also some minor spalling on this face. There
are white concretions overall as well as some salt crystals. There are two irregularities on the edges where it
looks like the clay was not completely smoothed or pressed down, or something hit the clay while it was
still wet.

Language of Material: Sumerian and Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner exercise is a student's practice writing personal names.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a large loss to one corner and a smaller loss in
another corner. There are a few minor losses to the surface of this face, including two small gashes that look
to have been made when the clay was still wet. The convex face also has a few minor surface losses. One
of the edges has six, shallow circular indentations, possibly made with an implement when the clay was still
wet. There are small white concretions overall.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "ib". This
acrographic arrangment was popular among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies. Notice the mathematical
calculations scribbled over lexical list on the reverse.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of red-brown clay that has been broken into three pieces.
The pieces have been reattached with an adhesive. There is a gash-like loss near one edge on the inscribed
face and another minor surface loss near another edge. There is a rectangular loss on the surface of the
uninscribed face close to the center of the tablet. There is another loss on one edge and some minor
chipping near two of the corners.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This practice letter written by a student concerns quantities of barley exchanged
between Ahum and Sin-nada.

Box 4

Item: 11 Cotsen ID: 40720
Letter with envelope and sealing from king Rim-Suen of Larsa Old Babylonian Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: Long, rectangular tablet with a partial "envelop" still intact on one face. The
face with the envelop layer intact has considerable losses and it appears as if the envelop has been chipped
away. One corner of the tablet has been broken and lost. An unknown adhesive has been applied in this
corner. The clay appears relatively well fired.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This royal letter is from king Rim-Suen to Suen-Imguranni. The Old Babylonian sealing
is partially preserved on envelope. Rim-Suen ruled from 1822-1763 BCE.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. The pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. This adhesive has also been applied to the surface around the break. There are
some losses along the break creating gaps and crevices between the two pieces. On one face, there are
four groove marks near one side that seem to have been made by a modern implement. There is another
groove mark on one edge. There are other minor surface losses and a few spots of adhesive overall. There
are white concretions throughout, particularly on the convex face.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise contains the measurements for several fields.

Condition: Rectangular tablet in good condition. There is an incomplete crack on one
face that runs from one edge to its opposite edge. There are two minor surface losses on the flat face. One
of these losses (closer to the center of the tablet) seems to have been made by a modern tool. There is
some minor spalling and a shallow scratch on one edge. There are white concretions visible overall, though
particularly on one side of the flat face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise contains a list of rations as payments to weavers.
Administrative texts are the most prevalent and popular type of ancient Mesopotamian text, so the scribe
need ample practice to master this genre.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay that has broken into two, possibly three
pieces. (There is one crack visible on one side and edge that is possibly filled or covered with dirt on the
other side, therefore it is difficult to tell if it is a break or an incomplete crack.) These pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. There are several incomplete cracks on one half of the tablet. There are a
number of losses along the clear break line on both faces. A sizeable chunk is missing on one face. In this
same ditch, another chunk looks like it was either a loss that has been reattached or has complete cracks
that may cause it to break off in the future. There are two corners with some losses as well as some losses
on the surface near one edge. These two areas with losses are covered with an adhesive. There are white
concretions visible overall, particularly in the grooves of the cuneiform impressions.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise contains a list of rations as payments to weavers.
Administrative texts are the most prevalent and popular type of ancient Mesopotamian text, so the scribe
need ample practice to master this genre.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. There are several incomplete cracks on
the flat face of this tablet. A portion of one of these cracks appears to have had an adhesive or coating
applied to it. There are losses on two corners. Both corners with these losses have adhesive applied on the
surface. There is a loss on a portion of an edge next to one of these corners that has been reattached with
an adhesive. It seems like portions of the break have been filled. The surface in this area is uneven and any
previously existing script is unreadable. There are some minor losses to the surface, particularly on the flat
face. There is one edge that has three blackened spots marking the surface. Another edge has two similarly
sized spots, though not blackened, the outlines of which look to be shallowly incised. It is unclear what
these markings are. There are white concretions visible throughout, particularly on the flat face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise contains a list of rations as payments to weavers.
Administrative texts are the most prevalent and popular type of ancient Mesopotamian text, so the scribe
need ample practice to master this genre.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with several incomplete cracks. The majority of these
cracks are visible on the flat face. There is one corner with two incomplete cracks that almost meet at both
ends -- this could possibly cause a piece of that corner to break apart in the future. There is adhesive
covering portions of one of the cracks in this corner. There are some minor surface losses: two notable ones
near one edge and a strip of surface losses on the flat face. There are some gouge marks next to this strip
that were created with a modern tool. Two of these losses (one near the corner edge, the other is the strip)
are covered with adhesive. There are mineral deposits visible on the flat face, possibly some are salt
crystals. There are some small mounds of deposits in the strip of surface losses. There are a few white
concretions visible throughout.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise contains a list of rations as payments to weavers.
Administrative texts are the most prevalent and popular type of ancient Mesopotamian text, so the scribe
need ample practice to master this genre.

Condition: Rectangular envelope fragment with tablet inside. Half of one face and side of
the envelope fragment is missing. The existing edges at this loss are jagged and have a powdery texture.
There are some incomplete cracks overall on the envelope fragment as well as some surface losses. There
are some cuneiform impressions visible on one face. These impressions are flanked by surface losses in
one corner and losses to the other corner so any other impression that may have existed in that area are
gone. The tablet has losses in one corner and along an edge (where a portion of the envelope fragment is
also gone). Only a portion of the tablet is visible (where the envelope has broken anwyway). The edges
where there are losses also have a powdery texture. There are white concretions visible mostly on one side
of the revealed portion of the tablet and on one edhe of the envelope fragment.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise of writing a letter includes the envelope, which has a short
inscription on it.

Condition: All edges of this triangular tablet fragment are uneven and jagged in some
areas from losses. There are considerable losses to the surface of the two faces, partially from spalling.
There are incomplete cracks overall. There are some white concretions visible overall. The tablet fragment is
actively crumbling in some areas.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a vocabulary exercise copied from the Early Dynastic food list on the obverse and a mathematical exericse
on the reverse.

Condition: Square tablet with a large, circular pit at the center of the uninscribed face.
There are several incomplete cracks overall. There are minor surface losses and some white concretions
visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student text contains a list quantities of cereals. Administrative texts are the most
prevalent and popular type of ancient Mesopotamian text, so the scribe need ample practice to master this
genre.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. The two pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. There is a crevics between the two pieces along the entire break. This is due
to losses along the break and possibly misalignment of the two pieces while being reattached. Adhesive is
visible in portions of the break, and in one area is also on the surface near the break. There are losses to
two corners as well as multiple losses to the surface of the tablet. It is difficult to tell whether or not the
damage to the surface was done while the clay was still wet, or afterward because the patina is fairly
consistent overall. There are some white concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This brief beginner's exercise only contains one line. Perhaps the student was
interrupted before he could finish.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with several losses. Two edges are jagged from
uneven losses. Both of these edges have gouges made with modern tools, as well as deep crevices that
have been covered with an adhesive. The other two edges also have some losses (not to the extent of the
first two edges described) including some scratch marks along one of these edges. It is difficult to tell if
these scratches were made while the clay was still wet or after the clay had dried. There are some patches
on both faces where portions of cuneiform inscriptions are obscured. Possibly these are erasures that were
made while the clay was wet (?) The tablet is a mottled brown and black color. There are white concretions
visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "ur". This
acrographic arrangment was popular among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with some minor losses to the edges and three of the
corners. There is one incomplete crack running from one edge to about 1 1/2" across one face. The surface
of the tablet has several rough patches of varying tan and brown colors. It is unclear if this was part of the
makeup of the tablet before it was dried, or if these are deposits or dirt. There are a few small white
concretions visible throughout.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student tablet contains a lexical exercise on the obverse and a grammatical
exercise transposed on the reverse.

Condition: One edge is quite jagged with some cracks, presumably where the fragment has broken from another piece. One corner has a large
loss. On the face that is only partially inscribed, there is a deep gouge and loss at one edge. The "break" line is slightly
different on each face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This practice administrative text contains quantities of cereals. This text is dated to king Shu-Suen's 5th and 6th regnal
years (c. 2032-2033 BCE).

Condition: A fragment of a large tablet. One face has a hole "drilled" toward one edge.
This may be the work of boring insects. Along the same edge are three scraped lines that were most likely
caused by metal tools during excavation. This face also has some fine cracks. The other face is heavily
inscribed and has a triangular gouged loss on one edge. This gouge appears to have some adhesive in it,
though there is no break there. The multiple layers of clay can be seen on the broken edges. These also
show the rather crude original shape of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet is an example of an advanced student's training. The obverse contains Lipit-
Eshtar's Praise in the Eduba. The reverse has a unidentified literary composition.

Condition: A large but broken tablet that has been reassembled from six fragments. The
two larger broken and reattached corners have been adhered with multiple, unknown, adhesives, one of
which has a greenish-gray hue. Another corner has been broken into multiple fragments, two of which have
been readhered, along with an edge fragment. These three repairs were made with the greenish-gray
adhesive and are poorly fit; there also appears to be some straw-like material set in the adhesive. There are
vertical but incomplete cracks on one face. There is a surface loss to one of the larger, readhered
corners.

Language of Material: Sumerian and Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden objects. When complete, this list would
have a total of 380 entries.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. There is one small, incomplete crack
on one side near one edge. There are a few small creases and shallow scratches in the clay, most likely
made when the clay was wet. There are some small, white concretions overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. The two pieces have been
reattached with adhesive. There is a jagged loss on the surface along the break line on one of the faces. On
the other face, there is a gap where the two pieces have been reattached. This is possibly the result of the
two pieces not being fit together properly when being reattached.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects.

Condition: Square tablet that has broken into two pieces. The two pieces have been
reattached with adhesive. There is a gap between the two pieces at the break, possibly from misalignment
or losses (or both), especially on one face. A few spots of a black substance, possibly the adhesive, are
visible along the break as well. There is a large encrustation of mineral deposits at one corner. There are a
few other areas with deposits that are possibly also mineral build-up. On one face, there is a shallow
dperession with groove marks, possibly an erasure made with an implement while the clay was still wet.
Also visible on this face is a small area covered with a white substance. On the other side, there are a few
small areas covered possibly with adhesive or coating. There are areas overall of blackened spots -- possibly
from firing or from an adhesive.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text is a practice reciprocal table completed by a student.

Box 6

Item: 7 Cotsen ID: 40725
School text, literary exercise from The Song of the Hoe Old Babylonian Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: Square tablet fragment of red-brown clay. One of the edges has grooves that
are possibly marks made by an implement used to break the fragment from another piece of tablet. There is
a small loss on one corner and another loss on the surface of one edge, possibly from spalling. There is a
white substance covering some areas of the surface throughout.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This popular literary piece was part of the Decad, a standard collection of literary works
mastered by advanced scribes. This excerpt covers lines 27-43 of the 108 line song.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with minor losses to two corners. There are a few minor
losses on the surface overall including one loss along one edge. There is a small chunk where the clay is
spalling and the chunk has not completely broken away yet.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-brown clay. There are some losses on the surface
of two of the corners and a small loss along one edge. There is adhesive on one of the corner losses. There
is a cream-colored substance that has accumulated in many of the grooves of the cuneiform
impressions.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a multiplication table based on 15 with Old Babylonian sexagesimal
notation.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-tan clay. There are several losses on the surface.
The convex face has a triangular loss near one edge and a linear loss stretching across the center of the
face. There is also a sizeable gouge on one edge adjacent to this face that seems to have been made by an
implement. It is unclear when this damage was caused. There are also two smaller gouge marks near one
corner on this same face. On the same edge as the sizeable gouge, there are circular gouge marks at the
center created by an implement. The patina of these is similar to that of the remainder of the tablet
indicating these gouge marks are ancient. There are some white concretions visible overall, particularly on
the convex face.

Language of Material: Akkadian or West Semitic

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "a". This acrographic arrangment was popular
among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. The two pieces have been
reattached with a clear adhesive. Dried adhesive is visible on the surface along the break. There are surface
losses along the edges and three of the corners. There is some spalling in these areas. There are some
areas of the surface that have a white sheen where it looks like discoloration of the clay has occurred but it
is possible that some sort of coating has been applied or built up in these. There is a white label adhered to
one edge inscribed with: C.
3. This label appears to be partially covering more script reading: 2'B'. This script
is written directly on the surface of the tablet in black ink or paint. It is possible there is more of this script
completely covered by the white label.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a loss at one corner. There is adhesive covering a
portion of this loss as well as some areas near the loss. There is an incomplete crack extending from this
loss. There is a loss on one face with a patina similar to that of the rest of the face. It is possible this loss
occurred while the clay was still wet. The other face has a small mound of clay at the center, surrounded by
scrape marks. It seems that some of the scrape marks were made with an implement and others possibly
were made by hand while the clay was still wet. There is an incomplete crack on this same face. There are
some small scratches and wrinkles in the clay on the face -- some a result of scraping, also possibly made
while the clay was wet. Notably, this face has a patina of a much darker brown-black. The other face is a
medium brown color with patches of black and tan. There are other minor surface losses overall. There are
some tan concretions visible overall, possibly this is dirt.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student tablet contains an administrative exercise for rations on the obverse and
mathematic calculations transposed on the reverse

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a few incomplete cracks on one face and some minor
spalling on the other face. There is minor damage at two of the corners. One face of the tablet has a dark
brown patina with tan clay showing through. The other face is mottled tan, dark brown, and cream-colored.
On edge is mostly cream-colored. there are some white concretions visible throughout.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student tablet contains an administrative exercise for an account on the obverse
and a mathematic problem transposed on the reverse

Condition: Rectangular tablet that is slightly misshapen. One half end of the tablet is
slightly wider than the other half. Two corners on the thinner half are bent upward slightly on the uninscribed
face. Additionally, one half of the uninscribed face is thicker than the other half by about 1/8" - 1/4". There is
a loss in one corner on this face that has left the surface uneven and jagged. There is also a groove mark
across this face that looks to have been made with a modern tool. There is another gouge on one of the
edges although it is difficult to tell when this was made because the patina is similar to that of the non-
damaged portions of the tablet. There is a groove on an edge was still wet. The inscribed face looks worn.
There is a loss at one corner and the surface at another corner may possibly have been scraped when the
clay was still wet. There are white concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects.

Condition: A mostly complete tablet with an old, poorly-done fill at a corner on one face. One face has considerable cracking. The complete
cracks have been filled with an unknown, clear adhesive to prevent the separation of fragments. Numerous cracks radiate out
from larger breaks on one face. Many of these cracks are filled with a white accretion material, probably salts, that appear
to be causing the cracking and some spalling. The mended breaks are poorly filled, and the fill is shrunken and detaching.
In one area there are two small fragments of pinkish-red lint adhered to the surface.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is copied from the Early Dynastic Word List C, also known as the Tribute List. This lexical exercise
originated around 3300 BCE, one of the oldest of its kind. The text is not fully understood.

Condition: Tablet is incomplete with a top corner broken and lost. The lower adjacent
corner is broken and has been reattached with an unknown adhesive. There are unidentified fibers caught in
the adhesive. Adhesive has been spilled on the edge adjacent to the repaired break and on one face of the
tablet above the break. Adhesive has also been applied, apparently to stop surface spalling, near the lost
corner. The storage box was relined after condition reporting.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with uninscribed face that has a very uneven surface. The
inscribed face and edges of the tablet are uneven, but only slightly in comparison to the uninscribed face.
There are three long scrapes across the uninscribed face that appear to have been made when the clay was
still wet. There are folds and wrinkles in the clay that also appear to have been made when the clay was still
wet. There are some other minor surface losses on this face as well as on the rest of the tablet. On the
inscribed face, there are two incomplete cracks. There is one pit-like loss on this face, possibly made by an
implement. There are also some minor losses to two of the corners.There are some white concretions visible
throughout.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of red-brown clay. There are some indentations and light
scratch marks on the uninscribed face that were possibly made while the clay was still wet. There are very
minor surface losses overall. The tablet has been coated and it seems like some of this coating has pooled
and dried in some of the more deeply impressed portions of the cuneiform script.

Language of Material: Sumerian and West Semitic

Scope and Content Note

This bilingual student exercise lists various personal names in Sumerian and West
Semtic.

Condition: Rectagular tablet with a number of complete and incomplete cracks. Many of
these cracks, and the area around these cracks have been covered with an adhesive. There are losses along
many of these cracks. There are losses at one corner and other minor surface losses. There are two rough
gouges on one face --possibly these were made while the clay was still wet, based on the patina. One
gouge runs across half of the face, the other gouge is at one edge. There are white concretions visible
overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects. This list focuses on types of boats.

Translation:Obverse
1. 'Schoolboy, (where did you go?)'
2. 'I went to school.'
3. 'What did you do at school?'
4. 'I read my tablet.
5. I ate my lunch.
6. I made my tablet, wrote it and finished it.
7. My lines were prepared for me.
8. In the afternoon, my … were prepared for me.
9. When school ended,
10. I went home.
11. I entered the house.
12. My father was sitting there.
Reverse
1. My father …;
2. I read my tablet.
3. My father was happy.
4. I found favor with my father.
5. (I said) “I am thirsty, bring me drink.
6. I am hungry. Bring me food.
7. Wash my feet.
8. Set up the bed.
9. At dawn (I will awake).”'

Condition: Misshapen rectangular tablet that appears to have been pressed down on one
edge. Possibly due to this pressing, this edge is diagonal and much wider than its opposing edge. The clay
also bulges out on two faces near this edge, as well as on an adjacent edge. There is an incomplete crack
on a bulge on one face. The surface of the pressed edge is slightly rough and there is some evidence of
spalling. There is another corner that also appears to have been pressed down, but much less so than the
other pressed edge. There is also a scrape mark near this corner on one of the faces. It is unclear if this
mark was made while the clay was still wet or after the clay had dried. There are some white concretions
visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise belongs to a popular piece of literature about the life of a scribe. The story details the daily routine
of an ancient Mesopotamian scribe. This tablet includes lines 1-16 of the full text.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a large loss in one corner and a smaller loss in
another corner. There is some spalling in the corners with those losses. There are some incomplete cracks
in the corner with the smaller loss. There are some white concretions visible mostly around the corner with
the smaller loss.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment that has broken into two pieces. The two pieces
have been reattached with an adhesive. The break appears to be along a large portion of the surface (versus
a clean break through the tablet) There is adhesive visible along the break on one of the faces. There is a
small surface loss on this same face, just above the top of the break that has been reattached with
adhesive. Along the edges with losses, it looks like there were two "layers" of clay used to form the tablet
and that the "top" layer has been lost.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment of grey-tan clay with losses at two edges and two
corners. Approximately a quarter of the surface of one side is missing. There are some minor losses on the
surface of the tablet overall. Some spalling is especially visible on the uninscribed face and there a few
incomplete cracks on one edge.

Condition: A fragment of a large tablet. The clay is poorly fired and fragile. One corner is
broken and ready to detach (moves loosley). An adjacent corner has been reattached. One side of the tablet
(of unknown size) is broken and lost. There are deep but incomplete cracks across one face. The opposite
face has a few hairline cracks. Many tiny fragments have detached and are loose in the bottom of the poly
bag.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet is a student's vocabulary practice writing various body parts from the
standard Old Babylonian list.

Condition: Square tablet with a crumbling and worn surface. Two edges and corners have
losses. There seems to be some spalling in these areas. There are some grooves on the inscribed face that
possibly were erasures made with an implement when the clay was still wet. There is a small chunk of an
unknown black substance embedded in the body of the tablet near some of the losses -- possibly this was
part of the makeup of the clay used for the tablet. There are some white concretions visible on parts of the
surface. The clay is soft and actively crumbling.

Condition: Small rectangular tablet of grey-tan clay. There is a small loss on the surface
of one face near a corner edge. On this same face, there are several cracks and wrinkles in the clay. There
are some white concretions visible on the surface overall. There is a sheen to the raised portions of the
surface, perhaps indicating that the tablet was coated (?)

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a noticeably deep, incomplete crack running through
the surface of one face. Some adhesive has been applied along some points of the crack as well as on the
surface around these points. There are a few other incomplete cracks on the same face. There is one
complete crack near one edge. On the other face, there are some losses to the surface in two of the corners
and two of the edges. Adhesive has been applied to those areas with losses in the corners. There are a few
incomplete cracks in one of the corners with losses. The central portion of each face has a dark black patina
that has some sheen. This sheen could possibly be from wear or could be a coating.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

These are a student's word problems for calculating volumes of soil for canal digging.
Canals had to be redug reguarly in ancient Mesopotamia, so these types of math problems were very useful
for the scribe.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into five pieces. The pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. Adhesive has been applied to some areas of the surface near the breaks. There
are a number of losses along the breaks overall and on the surface near the breaks, particularly on one
face. These losses have created gaps and crevices between the break points. Additionally, some of the
broken pieces were not aligned to fit together properly when they were reattached. There are some small,
white concretions visible on the surface overall.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. These pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. There are losses on one corner and on the edge near this corner. There is a
complete crack running parallel to the break. There is another complete crack running over an edge that
turns into an incomplete crack running across one face. On this same face, there is a small pit-like loss with
a black substance partially filling it. There is also a surface loss near one corner edge. On the other face,
there is a shallow, grooved ditch measuring about 1 1/2" long running through the center of the tablet that
possibly was made when the clay was still wet. There are white concretions visible on the surface
throughout.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is a word problem accompanied by diagrams of triangles to help
solve the problem.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment that has broken in three pieces. The pieces have
been reattached with an adhesive. There are considerable losses along one edge of the tablet. as well as
crevices due to losses at the breaks -- these crevices are particularly noticeable on the flat face. There is a
slight gap at one of the breaks on the convex face, possibly indicating a misalignment when those pieces
were reattached, or is the result of some losses from the break. There is a complete crack starting from the
edge that runs about one inch diagonally cross the fragment. There is spalling on the surface of the losses.
There is possibly some fill in this area too. There are minor losses to the surface of both faces. Small, white
concretions are visible overall. The tablet is crumbling slightly.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet is a student's vocabulary practice writing various body parts from the
standard Old Babylonian list.

Condition: The tablet has broken approximately in half and much of one corner has been
lost. The broken portion that was not lost has been reattached with clear adhesive. There is an area of
spalling on one face along this break. On one short side, a short crack is visible; this may actually be a
second reattached break. There is a small area of loss along this crack/break. One face of the tablet is a
very dark brown color, while the other face is gray-tan.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in sign formation and sound. Notice the tablet
rotation is left-to-right, not the typical top-to-bottom.

Condition: Approximately 1/3 of the tablet has broken off and was reattached with clear
adhesive; lumps of adhesive overfill some areas and are clearly visible on the surface of both faces. The edge
of one face has a large gouge, apparently from a modern tool. This gouge continues onto part of the short
side. The opposite face has a cluster of white spots near the repaired break. One edge near the corner has a
small area of spalling. On the long side closest to the spalling there is a blue ink (?) mark "1 [inside a
circle]". On one of the short sides opposite the gouge from the tool there is a white powdery
spot.

Condition: One face of the tablet is relatively flat and rectangular, but the other face
appears to have been smashed inward toward center while the clay was still wet. As a result, that face is
compressed upward with a groove in the middle. (Viewed from the short end, the tablet looks almost
triangular.) On one side of the compresed face there is a deep but incomplete crack at one side. Part of the
face closest to the edge has spalled along the crack. On the flatter face there is an area of spalling near one
edge. This is old damage, as the spalled area has the same patina as the rest of the tablet.

Condition: The tablet has broken along one long side, and two parts of the break at
diagonally opposite corners have been lost. The broken portion that was not lost was reattached, but small
areas of loss along the reattached break are visible on both faces. Some spalling has occurred at the
corners near both lost corners.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

A practice letter from Aba-indasa to king Shulgi. Shulgi reigned from 2094-2047
BCE.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment inscribed on one face only. The fragment has a
diagonal break across one side. In about the middle of this diagonal break there is a small gouged loss. At
the edge of the tabelt along the break there is a small area of spalling. On the intact side of the tablet there
is a chipped loss at one corner. On the uninscribed face, the loss at the corner is larger and includes an
area of spalling. At the edge of the tablet diagonally opposite the broken corner there is a smooth, slanted
gouge/loss, possibly the result of a modern tool strike. About a half inch above this loss there is a small
hole in the fragment.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This archaic practice vocabulary is an example of the earliest phase of writing. This list records types of professions.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment inscribed on one face only. On the inscribed face,
one corner is damaged either by spalling or possibly a strike from a modern tool; this damage is a smooth,
slanted loss. On the uninscribed face, one corner has a gouged loss that has removed part of the face
without breaking off the whole depth of the corner.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This archaic practice vocabulary is an example of the earliest phase of writing. This list records types of professions.

Condition: A flat, rectangular tablet with inscriptions on both faces. One face is actively
crumbling and spalling. Small white concretions on this face may be salts and if so, this may be the cause
of the spalling. The tablet is cracked into 2 pieces and repaired with an unknown, clear adhesive. Other
deep, but incomplete cracks have also been filled with adhesive. There is a rounded, pitted loss on the more
stable face. A small beetle that resembles a powderpost beetle or other wood boring beetle was found in
the bag with the tablet and has been bagged seperately.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "ur". This
acrographic arrangment was popular among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies. This tablet is dated to
Rim-Suen, year 33 (c. 1789) and signed by its scribe Nabi-ilishu.

Condition: The tablet has broken in half and been reattached with a milky-white adhesive.
One face of the tablet has mostly discolored to yellow-white, with some of the original orange color still
visible. The other face remains mostly orange, with yellow-white areas along the edges. The yellow-white
face has a small area of loss on one edge of the repaired break. A lump of white adhesive is visible inside
the loss, and more is visible along the break. An area near one corner has spalled; that same corner has a
small loss. The lost corner is less visible on the orange face.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student math exercise was practice converting and calculating various length
units.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that split approximately in half but was reattached with
opaque-white adhesive. One face has a deep incomplete crack running from the break at center out to the
edge. There is an area of spalling at the edge where the second crack terminates. There is a small gouged
loss at the edge of the tablet diagonally across from the spalling. The opposite face has a large gouged loss
running next to the central reattached break. This loss is relatively recent, as it does not have the same
patina as the rest of the tablet. Opaque-white adhesive is visible in the break. One edge of the tablet has a
chipped loss; this loss has the same patina as the rest of the tablet. There is a small chipped loss at the
edge of the tablet where the two broken pieces were reattached.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "ur". This
acrographic arrangment was popular among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies.

Condition: The tablet has a small loss along the edge of one face, continuing onto a
short end. A short, incomplete crack is in the corner nearest that loss. A second corner on that face has an
area of spalling. Just above the spalling is a small loss that continues onto a long side. The opposite face
has a loss in one corner and a second, larger loss just above the diagonnally opposite corner. A third corner
has an area of spalling. This spalling reveals clay that is a lighter brown color than the rest of the tablet,
indicating that it is relatively recent damage. There are a few white spots scattered on both faces and on the
long sides.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is a series of large numbers with no detectable relation to each
other.

Box 9

Item: 10 Cotsen ID: 40837
School text, legal exercise of a contract for the sale of an orchard Old Akkadian Period (c. 2340-2200)

Translation:Obverse
1. 1 garden,
2. being of the house of Adumu,
3. for 5 shekels of silver,
4. he exchanged metal.
5. 'Servant of the house of the spouse'
6. '… of the storm deity'
7. 'Servant of the deity Shulpa'e'
8. …
9. …
(The remaining lines are missing)
Reverse
(First two lines missing)
3'. …
4'. …
5'. 'The foreigner', the scribe
6'. 'Servant of the deity Haya', the scribe
7'. Namhani, the expert;
8'. Being the witnesses,
9'. Under their witness the house was given;
10'. Its statement is complete;
11'. Its claim is abandoned;
12. Sworn by the life of the king;
13'. 'King of the cut precious stone', the governor of Adab.

Condition: This fragment is a portion of a rectangular tablet that broke diagonally. As a
result, the broken edge has a jagged point on one side. Several internal cracks are visible on the broken end
of the fragment. These cracks could lead to spalling. A gouge from a modern (?) tool is visible about
midway along the break on one face. On one edge above the break, there is a small purple-black spot. On
the opposite face, a small spot of spalling is visible at the pointed end of the break.

Condition: This tablet fragment is a portion of a rectangular tablet. One end has broken
off unevenly. On the inscribed face, both corners opposite the broken end have small losses. The
uninscribed face has a shallow pit and several hairline cracks; several of these areas have a white substance
in them. Under magnification at least some of this white material is crystalline and appears to be salt.
Additional spots of white crystalline material are scattered on the broken short end.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into three pieces. Several portions of the
breaks and areas surrounding the breaks have been covered with adhesive. There are some white fibers
stuck in the adhesive on the break near the edge. There is a dried ball of adhesive visible along the central
break, as well as a small patch of what seems to be some printed material (possibly paper based) adhered
to some of the adhesive. The three pieces consist of essentially two halves (this break runs across the
center of the tablet) and a portion of one of the edges. There are considerable losses near the break at the
edge, as well as some losses along the other break. There is a deep gouge next to the more central break.
This possibly was created by an implement, alhough it is unclear if it was created while the clay was still
wet. There are several incomplete cracks overall, mostly visible by the break at the edge. There seems to be
some smaller losses that have been reattached along the breaks. There are some white concretions visible
throughout.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This school exercise contains two diagrams for solving geometric problems involving
Pythagoras' Theorem and the value of Pi.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with losses at two corners. There is one small chip that
may possibly have been reattached with an adhesive (?). There is an area on one face that has been
scraped with a modern tool. There are incomplete cracks overall, particularly around the losses. There are
white concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with some indentations that appear to have happened while
the clay was still wet. This has partially obscured the inscription on both faces. On one face there is a
small, pitted loss at one corner. On the opposite face there is a larger gouged loss at one corner- this gouge
is old, as it has the same patina as the rest of the tablet.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is practice in drafting a letter using the appropriate format and
techniques.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. These two pieces have
been reattached with a white opaque adhesive as well as a clear adheseive, both of which are visible along
the break line. The tablet is misshapen and twisted- as if it was pressed diagonally down the center. These
are losses along the break as well as surface losses that look modern. A portion of the cuneiform script on
one face has been erased, possibly from the pressing. There are a few incomplete cracks. There are some
white concretions visible on one of the faces.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names. The substantial surface
damage prevents an adequate reconstruction of the text.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into six pieces. these six pieces consist of
two main pieces and four other chips from the surface. These pieces have been reattached with an
adhesive. The four chips have some jagged edges that extend slightly above the rest of the face, possibly
from misalignment while being reattched. Additionally, there are three minor losses: the first is located at
one corner, another is near one edge, and the third is near the center on one face. There is a rough patch of
a substance, possibly clay (?), along a portion of the break on one face.There are white concretions visible
overall.

Condition: Rectangular cuneiform tablet envelope fragment. A large portion of the
envelope is lost. Additionally, there are some surface losses. The edges and surface are jagged where there
are losses. There are some incomplete cracks and folds in the clay visible on the interior of the envelope.
There are incomplete cracks visible at a corner edge. There are some gouge marks on two of the edges that
were most likely made with a modern tool.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This administrative document was written by Abu-shuni in the ancient city of Umma and
dates to Shulgi 44 (c. 2099 BCE), month
6. There is no writing preserved inside envelope.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with losses at two corners. The surface at these losses is jagged and uneven. There are a number of incomplete
cracks, particularly along two of the edges. Some of these cracks are covered with a clear adhesive. Half of the tablet is
about 1/8" thinner than the other half. This appears to have been done when the clay was still wet because there is cuneiform
script on this thinner portion overall. There are several white concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

Note the difference in depth of the two columns--this is due to repeated erasing and re-writing in the student's copy of
the teacher's text.

Condition: Square tablet that has a deep, complete crack running across the tablet.
Much of this crack has been covered and filled with an adhesive. There are a few incomplete cracks that
extend from the complete crack. There are a few other minor losses overall. There is a circular white label
adhered to one edge inscribed with "1.".

Condition: Small, approximately-square tablet made of light brown clay. One corner of
the tablet is broken and lost; this damage is more prominent on one face than on the other. On the face
where the loss is more prominent, there is a crack on the side of the tablet at one corner; this crack is not
visible from the other face. There is a crack at a third corner that is deep enough to be visible on both faces.
On the opposite face, there is a small, short crack running from the broken corner toward center.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This elementary exercise allowed a new student to practice forming signs and wedges
with the stylus. This is the first step in the scribal education.

Condition: The tablet is mostly complete with only small losses to two corners. No
adhesive appears to have been applied, but the surface may be coated with something. The tablet has
multiple cracks, the most serious of which runs horizontally but is not broken across the entire
tablet.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is practice in drafting a letter using the appropriate format and
techniques. The text is dated, "11th day of the month Nenegar in the year Ami-ditana become king" (c.
1684). The letter was signed by scribes.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with losses at one edge. This edge is jagged due
to these losses. There is a gouge mark on one face that appears to have been made with a modern tool.
There is an incomplete crack at one corner. There are some white concretions visible overall.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into at least two pieces and been
reattached with adhesive. Two corners are broken and lost. One face has a large black spot adjacent to one
broken corner. The corner diagonally across is also broken, with a large gouge missing from the face. A
deep crack runs straight from one edge of the face to the other, and there is a gouge missing from the
middle of the crack. A second crack runs diagonally and joins the first. This diagonal crack is complete.
Some clear adhesive is visible in both cracks. One the opposite face, the complete crack is a wavy line.
There is a shallow gouge in the middle of the crack with adhesive visible inside. A deep, complete crack
runs from one edge for about one inch toward center. The entire tablet is orange in color and is coated with a
shiny material. One short side of the tablet is slanted and appears to have been compressed while the clay
was still wet.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is practice in drafting a letter using the appropriate format and
techniques. The text is dated, "11th day of the month Nenegar in the year Ami-ditana become king" (c.
1684).

Condition: Lenticular tablet fragment reconstructed from at least three (but possibly
much more than three) smaller fragments that were reattached. Approximately 1/4 of the tablet is lost. All
the remaining fragments are held together with clear adhesive; there are still wide complete cracks, and
adhesive is visible within several of them. One face has a large gouge toward center; this gouge borders the
crack created by one of the reattached breaks. That crack runs to the edge of the tablet. Just above the
crack at this edge there is a large, wedge-shaped loss. Part of the tablet adjacent to that loss has spalled.
About one inch over from the wedge-shaped loss is a second loss; this one is at the edge of another
reattached break. Near the edge furthest from the large missing portion of the tablet, there are three shallow
gouges, a notched loss, and a deep gouge. Several cracks of varying depths are all over this face. The
opposite face shows less damage. There is a deep gouge at one edge- to one side of that is a wedge-
shaped loss. Closer toward center of the tablet are two shallower gouges. Deep cracks are visible on this
face, but not as many as are visible on the other face. Some spots of adhesive are visible on the surface.
The tablet may be lightly coated with an unknown substance.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "en" (lord). There is a note from the teacher,
"Turn top to bottom", instructing the student which way to rotate the tablet to write on the reverse face.

Condition: Lenticular tablet of orange-colored clay. One face has a gouge close to one
edge with an area of shallow spalling adjoining it. Diagonally across the face there is a small, round gouge.
The opposite face has an irregular, shallow crack near one edge. The tablet is coated with a shiny
substance.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of professions. The text was
signed by its scribe, Ur-Ninsun.

Condition: Ovoid tablet partially inscribed on one face. The partially inscribed face has
two areas of spalling diagonally across from each other, revealing lighter colored clay than the rest of the
tablet. One of these areas has a white crystalline spot on it that may be salt. At one edge there is a gouge,
but this damage is old, as it has the same patina as the rest of the tablet. The uninscribed face has a large
gouge or area of spalling on one edge. Another edge has an uneven loss. White crystalline spots are
scattered on this face, mostly within damaged areas.

Language of Material: Sumerian and Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice was made from a recycled lexical list of personal names.

Condition: Both faces of the tablet were partially wiped smooth while the clay was wet;
one face only has inscription in one corner. The face with more writing has lost a small chip in one corner.
This face is a lighter color than the opposite face, which is almost black over much of its surface. The face
with little writing has a small piece of white fiberous material attached in one corner. This face also has
some white powdery material at the opposite end from the fiberous material. The white material is shiny like
salt, but it does not appear crystalline in structure.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "lu2".
This acrographic arrangment was popular among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies.

Condition: The tablet is mostly intact except for one corner that is broken off and lost.
Once face has several deposits of a pale white substance- these deposits may be salt crystals. The
deposits vary in size from small to about 1/4-inch across. The opposite face was wiped down on one half;
that wiped half has a large deposit at one edge. Both short sides of the tablet also have
deposits.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects.

Box 11

Item: 4 Cotsen ID: 44554
School text, literary exercise from The Goose and the Raven Old Babylonian Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: Both faces of the tablet have several areas of loss that are filled with a
substance colored white; this color distinguishes the fills from the original clay. One face has an incomplete
crack running from a corner fill diagonally across to a second fill. That same face has another incomplete
crack running most of the length of one edge. The opposite face has a few small, incomplete cracks, but
this face has larger areas of fill. The color of the clay on the tablet varies greatly, from a deep orange-red to a
light tan.

Condition: Rectangular tablet made of light tan-colored clay. One face has losses at two
corners on the same side. On the edge opposite the two broken corners there is a gouge from a modern (?)
tool. There is a small chipped loss and a short crack in the middle of this face. The two broken corners are
also visible on the opposite face. A third corner has a very small loss. One of the long sides has a deep hole
or gouge near one of the intact corners. The interior of the hole is very uneven and does not appear to be
made by an implement.

Condition: The tablet has a small break and loss at one corner; the entire corner is not
lost, as the loss is only visible on one face. Just below where the loss is visible, the face has a small spot
with a dark black substance in it that may be fill. Further down, almost in the opposite corner, there is a
round, pitted spot. The opposite face also has a round pitted spot that is close to one corner. The sides of
the pitted spot are smooth enough that it may have been gouged out with an implenent of some sort. The
color of the tablet is dark gray, except along one short end and one long side; those areas are pale
tan.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from Iddin-Ninshubur to Suen-abi, and concerns a delivery
of sesame and an ox to be handed over to third individual.

Condition: Tablet with one corner broken off and partially lost. The portion of the corner
that was not lost has been reattached with clear adhesive. The adhesive is partially visible on one face. The
opposite face has a gouge at one side. This same face has dark black discoloration, possibly
charring.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from Shamash-bel-... to Inashdu, concerning a field.

Condition: Tablet with a gouged loss, apparently from a modern (?) tool strike, near the
corner of one face. Just below the gouge is an aread of partial loss, where part of the face has spalled. This
damage is not visible on the opposite face.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from Sin-apulanni to Shamash-sharrashu, and refers to a
previous letter.

Condition: One face of the tablet has an old break and loss in two corners. Each of these
small losses has the same patina as the rest of the tablet, indicating that the losses are ancient. The
opposite face has a break and loss in one corner and an oval-shaped gouge close ot the middle. Tiny white
particles scattered across both faces do not appear to be salt crystals.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is to Ibni-Ea from Tashin, ordering him to send various
commodities.

Condition: Tablet with one corner broken and lost. There is clear adhesive visible within
the break. One face has a deep but incomplete crack in the corner opposite the broken corner. A second
crack (less deep) comes from the side and intersects the first crack. Spots of clear adhesive are on the
surface covering portions of both cracks. One triangular-shaped piece has been lost along the deep crack.
The opposite face has a gouge near one corner. The large corner break/loss described above is visible but
less severe on this face. Another corner has spalling, but the damage appears old, as it has the same
patina as the rest of the tablet. There are scattered white particles on both faces.

Condition: This tablet is actively crumbling when handled; it is more fragile than it
appears. One face has a crack that runs the length of one short side. At the opposite end of that face a
small portion of the corner is broken and lost. The opposite face has some narrow but long cracks. One of
these cracks continues through to the other face. Another crack continues onto one of the short sides.
There is an area of spalling on one edge of this face; one of the longest cracks runs through the
spalling.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from Imgurrum to Ili-ilabi stating he has dispatched three
individuals, and demands action the minute the recipient sees them.

Condition: This rectangular tablet has spalling on the corner of one long side; this area is
covered with clear adhesive. At the opposite end of the tablet, the edge of one face and a portion of one
short side is lost to spalling. The opposite face has three spots of spalling aong one long edge, and a fourth
spot at the edge along one short side.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from Ur-Lisi to Ur-Kabta concerning agricultural
matters.

Box 11

Item: 13 Cotsen ID: 52149
Letter with envelope from king Rim-Suen of Larsa Old Babylonian Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: This rectangular tablet has a large fragment of envelop attached to one face;
the clay of the envelop appears to have dried onto the tabet rather than being glued to it. About 1/3 of the
face without the envelop fragment is lost to spalling. The area runs diagonally across the face. Cracks at
either end of this part of the face are covered with clear adhesive. A crack in one corner away from the
spalling is also covered with adhesive. Three of four corners have losses. The face with the envelop fragment
has three large areas of adhesive. Two of these areas follow part of the outline of the envelop and continue
onto one long side of the fragment. The third area covers a crack near the corner which continues onto the
long side of the tablet. (This crack may actually be a break that was reattached.) A fourth, smaller, area of
adhesive is on the other side of the face, continuing onto the long side of the tablet. All four corners have
small losses.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This royal letter is from king Rim-Suen to Suen-imguranni. Rim-Suen reigned from 1822-
1763 BCE.

Condition: This rectangular tablet has a fragment of envelop that has dried to one face.
The opposite face appears to have been smashed/compressed toward center while the clay was still wet.
About half of the surface of the envelop fragment has spalled. There ar a few scattered white spots near the
edge on this face. The opposite face is misshapen from being compressed while the clay was wet. One
portion of this compressed area has a scrape or gouge, possibly from a modern tool. At one edge of this
face there are two areas of spalling that continue onto the short side. Both faces have blackened areas
much darker than the rest of the clay. These may be scorch marks.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from Ur-Zababa, who writes to Silli-Shamash about barley
rations.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a large break and loss; this loss is more prominent on
one face than the other. On the face where the loss is less prominent, an adhesive-filled crack follows the
contours of the loss. Two other corners on that face have minor losses. On the opposite face, the damage
from the break and loss is larger and the area is covered with clear adhesive, making it appear dark brown.
There is a small area of spalling immediately adjacent to the adhesive. On the edge across from the
adhesive there is a small gouge, or possibly spalling; the damage is old, as it has the same patina as the
rest of the tablet. There are two spots of spalling toward the opposite end of the face, closest to two corners
that each have a small loss.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from from Gula-mansum to Ibbi-Ashdu, referring to a field.
This text is part of a group of three duplicate letters (52151-52153).

Condition: A small rectangular tablet with two associated but detached envelop
fragments. The tablet is relatively complete with only one small loss toward the edge of one face. The same
face is blackened, possibly from burning. "b" is the larger envelop fragment, which has a negative impression
of cuneiform symbols on its concave (interior) face. "c" is the smaller envelop fragment, which also has a
negative impression on its interior. This fragment also has an incomplete crack. Both envelop fragments are
quite fragile.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from from Gula-mansum to Ibbi-Ashdu, referring to a field.
This text is part of a group of three duplicate letters (52151-52153).

Condition: Rectangular tablet with an entire face that is uneven and rough from crater-like
losses. The tablet has also broken into five pieces. These pieces have been reattached with an adhesive.
There is a sizeable loss at one corner as well as a deep loss where most of the breaks converge. There are
several incomplete cracks overall. There is one deep, incomplete crack along one edge. The breaks, cracks,
and losses are covered with adhesive. The deep loss where the breaks converge is covered with a white
adhesive. There are some white fibers adhered to the surface next to this loss. There are some additional
spots of adhesive on one face. There are white concretions visible on the uninscribed face with losses,
possibly these are soluble salts. There is a shallow gouge on the surface of the inscirbed face that was
made with a modern tool. The tablet is actively crumbling.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 3 list of animals.
This tablet contains a colophon.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with one face almost completely covered by an
envelop that has dried together with it. One large corner of both tablet and envelop is broken and lost. At one
edge of this loss, a small fragment of envelop has a complete crack and is in danger of spalling. There are
white deposits (salt?) along this crack that may be contributing to the danger. At one corner of the face
without the envelop there is a gouge that continues onto the long side. A small piece of the side just below
the gouge is cracked; this may actually be a reattached break. Near the corner diagonally opposite from the
large loss is another gouge. On the enveloped face there is spalling (of face and envelop) connected to the
large break. There is a large spot of a white deposit adjacent to the spalling. One edge of the envelop on a
short side has a crack that runs the full length.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from from Gula-mansum to Ibbi-Ashdu, referring to a field.
This text is part of a group of three duplicate letters (52151-52153).

Condition: Rectangular tablet with one partially-inscribed face and one uninscribed face.
The partially-inscribed face has spalling at the uninscribed edge. Several deep cracks run through the
uninscribed portion, continuing onto the inscribed portion or onto the side. One corner of the inscribed
portion has a small gouged loss. The uninscribed face has a gouge near one corner that extends onto the
short side. A deep, complete crack runs down the face, across the gouge, and over onto the other face. The
corner closest to that damaged corner has a large area of spalling. There are several cracks on the short
side affected by the gouge/crack. The clay of this tablet is milky light tan in color.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This royal letter is from king Rim-Suen concerning agricultural and irrigation matters.
Rim-Suen reigned from 1822-1763 BCE.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of medium-brown colored clay. One face has a scraped
area near one corner that appears to be caused by a modern tool. The clay of this scrape is lighter than the
rest of the tablet, indicating more recent damage. At the opposite end of the face there is a thin, diagonal
gouge. This damage looks older, as it has the same patina as the rest of the tablet.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with a loss all the way across one short side, and
one lost corner. The remaining corner has a small gouge and loss on one face. That same face has a small
spot of spalling near center. There are two small holes- each about the diameter of the head of a pin- toward
one edge. The opposite face has several scattered deep cracks criss-crossing the surface. Many of these
cracks continue onto one of the long sides of the tablet. One deep crack runs down the long side and
through the center of the tablet to the other long side.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice letter is from from king Shulgi to Arad-mu. This exercise is signed
by its scribe Sin-ishme'anni, dated on the 6th day.

Condition: A flat-faced, square tablet. The surface has considerable wear which obscures
the rather large cuneiform symbols. There appear to be post-depositional layers of clay or soil on one face
that have been partially scraped away. The tablet is actively crumbling and there are small detached
fragments in its poly bag.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student practice is well-used and erased. It was likely used a "scrap paper" by
students.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with several losses on one face. The surface of the
uninscribed face is uneven and rough from losses. There are several groove marks of varying lengths, most
likely made with a modern tool across one half of this face. There are two groove marks that are shorter and
deeper, located at the side of this groove-marked area. This area is about 1/8" to 1/4" thinner than the rest of
the tablet, presumably from the amount of losses sustained. The other half of this face also has a number of
surface losses. The inscribed face has some losses as well. One of these losses may possibly be
obscuring some of the cuneiform inscriptions. There is an incomplete crack near one corner. There are
flakes of mineral deposits visible on the uninscribed face. There are also some white concretions visible on
this face. The tablet seems to be actively crumbling, however, it is possible that only dirt is crumbling
off.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that is mostly intact, with some losses at two of the
corners. There is a small tab of clay that juts out on one face near an edge. Anotherr small piece of clay has
flaked up, but is still attached to the tablet on one side. Underneath this flake is a spot of a black
substance. There are some other losses to the surface of the tablet. White concretions are visible
overall.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is a problem of coefficients used in calculating the volume of a
solid.

Condition: Lenticular tablet with the inscription on one face intact, but with the surface of
the opposite face entirely spalled. This tablet has two large losses at the edge, visible on both faces. The
spalled face has a narrow crevace toward the center, about half an inch long. The surface of this face is
rough and uneven.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

Grammar lesson inflecting "to give". These expressions are common in business
matters, an area every scribe needed to be proficient in.

Condition: The tablet has been broken into multiple pieces and reassembled using an
unidentified, clear adhesive. Numerous fragments ranging in size from 2.75 cm to powder are present in the
poly bag. These appear to be recent damage (occured after the repairs done with the clear adhesive). The
tablet also has three conically-shaped surface losses on one face. The tablet is actively
crumbling.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is practice in drafting a letter using the appropriate format and
techniques. The text is dated, "The year after Ami-ditana became king" (c. 1683).

Condition: Tablet fragment that was possibly rectangular or square-shaped. The fragment
has broken into two pieces. The two pieces have been reattached with an edhesive. The adhesive is visible
along the break line and on surface around the break line. The entire surface of one face is gone; the clay
remaining is quite jagged and spalling. The surface of most of the edges have also suffered losses and are
also jagged and uneven. There is a complete crack and several incomplete cracks on the face with losses.
There are a few small mineral deposits as well as white concretions overall. The fragment is actively
crumbling.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of professions.

Condition: The fragment is half of a hexagonal-shaped tablet that was split approximately
down the middle. A deep crack runs almost the full height of the exterior along one corner, stopping about
one inch from the undamaged end. This crack has been repaired with a clear adhesive. There are other
incomplete vertical hairline cracks on the incised faces. This fragment has a broken piece detached from
one of its ends. This break and the interior surface are rough and uneven. The interior has a green/dark gray
patina over much of the surface. A small amount of this residue is on the lower portion of the exterior, near
the flat end. A shiny material is visible in some cracks; this is possibly adhesive or some other substance
used to coat the fragment.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in sign formation and sound. When complete, this
prism contained the entire 124 line composition.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that was partially crushed while the clay was still wet, leaving
it misshapen. One face is light orange and the other is milky-tan. The light orange face has two side-by-side
scrapes from a modern tool near the edge. A crack runs through one of the scrapes and about half way
through the side to the opposite face. Another crack at the opposite end of this face also continues onto a
side. There is one complete crack on this face; it runs almost through the middle, but it is a very slender
crack. The milky-tan face shows the complete crack just described. On one edge there is a fragile bulging
point with a deep crack and two small chips that look like they may dislodge. One fragment has already
dislodged and has been placed in the storage bag. From this face, a narrow diagonal scrape is visible on the
side; it appears to be made by a modern tool, because it does not have the same patina as the rest of the
tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names. Due to the surface
damage the text is largely illegible.

Condition: Lenticular tablet with two gouges or grooves carved or filed out of it, giving it
an hour glass shape. This treatment is old, as the smooth, even edges of the grooves have the same patina
as the rest of the tablet. The inscribed face has two shallow areas of spalling - one above and one below the
side groove. One edge of the tablet adjacent to the opposite groove has a chipped loss. The plain face has
an area of spalling at the edge by one groove and an area of tan-colored fill at the edge by the other groove.
There is a small break and gouge near the edge on the opposite side of the groove from the fill.

Condition: Rectangular, flat cuneiform tablet with an area of loss in one corner. On the
face where that area of loss is larger, a thin piece of the surface has spalled off in two pieces. The pieces
have been reattached with some small losses remaining, and adhesive is visible.This damage is most visible
when the tablet is viewed in profile. The flatter end has a deep crack showing adhesive residue and a small
crack, but the residue does not extend beyond the crack. The tablet appears coated with a glossy
substance. All surfaces have scattered dark black marks.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice in writing administrative documents is dated to Samsu-ditana,
year 14 of his reign (c. 1612). Samsu-ditana is the last king of the Old Babylonian dynasty.

Condition: Small, flat, rectangular tablet that is mostly complete except for losses at one
corner. One face of the tablet appears complete; the other face is damaged by losses and has five or six
small, round holes punched into the surface. There are scattered tiny cracks on both faces of the tablet. The
tablet appears to be coated with a glossy substance. Both faces have scattered grayish-black
residue.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This text contains a student's practice in surveying areas of land. This tablet includes a
note from the scribe, "drawing of the lower part (of a field)."

Condition: Lenticular tablet inscribed on only one side. The uninscribed side has
depressions and smears that appear to be finger impressions made when the clay was still wet. The
inscribed face has a gouge at one edge with some loose fragments in it; these fragments may be at risk for
loss. There are hairline cracks in the clay in the area all around the gouge. There are two chips in the edge
of the face close to the gouge. One of these chips adjoins a deep crack, part of which goes through to the
opposite face. The uninscribed face has a gouge near the edge with two chipped losses adjacent to it. The
gouge meets a deep crack that extends across this face and partially goes through to the inscribed face.
This face has a few jagged edges from the finger mark (?) depressions . These jagged edges may be at risk
for loss.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary student exercise contains unusual personal names. The text is signed by its scribe Ur-Suen.

Condition: The tablet is misshapen; slightly rounded (concave on one face, convex on
the other). One corner is pushed up into the body. Deformation clearly took place when the clay was still
wet. There are deep "cuts" in two places on one face. There is no adhesive or surface coating . The tablet
appears very stable.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise has the introduction to a letter on the obverse, which has been
drawn over in antiquity. The reverse has both part of a letter and a section of TU-TA-TI transposed.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment. There is a loss at one corner, another edge is
lost, and there are surface losses from spalling near the edge that has been lost. there are other minor
surface losses and chips overall. There are a number of incomplete cracks throughout. A coating appears to
have been applied on the surface of the fragment.

Language of Material: Sumerian and Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise has an administrative exercise on the obverse and a short section
of Akkadian personal names transposed on the reverse

Condition: A small, nearly complete tablet with one small loss to one corner. One face is
incised with the same star-shaped symbol repeatedly. The reverse face is uninscribed. The tablet is well
fired.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in sign formation and sound of the AN, LI and HAL
signs.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of brown clay. There are three triangular gouges on the flat
face most likely made with a modern tool: one is close to the center, this gouge is partially covered with an
adhesive. There is a smaller triangular gouge on this face near another corner. This gouge is deep and it is
unclear whether or not it was made while the clay was still wet or after the clay dried. Another, rougher
gouge across an edge was most likely made with a modern tool. Some of the clay on this edge near this
gouge has been scraped or pushed up from the convex face, most likely when the clay was still wet, so
some pieces of clay extend out from that edge. There is another gouge across a different edge that is
smoother with a patina similar to the rest of the tablet. This possibly could indicate this gouge was made
when the clay was still wet. There is a large area on the flat face that looks worn away. There are some
patches on the convex face that look to have been roughly scraped, possibly while the clay was still wet,
based on the patina. There is a complete crack running from one side of the convex face across an edge.
There is a white patch in one area on the convex face that looks like a thin layer of deposits. There are some
white concretions visible throughout.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a student's vocabulary practice in writing descriptions of
humans and human conditions (both mental and physical).

Translation:1. To tighten the strings
2. To slacked the strings
3. Fastened strings
4. To tune up
5. To tune down
6. Part of an instrument?
7. To tune
8. The fret
9. A musician
10. A chief musician
11. A string player
12. A musician in the service of the suhurla women
13. A royal musician
14. An apprentice musician
15. A … musician
16. A musician of a shrine
17. A musician of a divine shrine
18. A musician with a loud voice

Condition: This rectangular tablet is actively crumbling; there are loose particles of clay in the storage bag. The tablet is inscribed
on one face only. It was broken into two pieces that were reattached using clear adhesive. On the inscribed face, lines of
adhesive are on the surface of the face at the reattached break, at an incomplete diagonal crack extending from the break,
and at a break that runs from about the center of the face out to the edge. Adhesive has also bled along some of the inscribed
lines on the face. One corner of the face has an approximately-square loss. A thin crack extending from this loss has adhesive
covering it. The corner opposite the square loss has a larger diagonal loss. A third corner is spalled. There is a gouged
loss at one edge of the tablet that adjoins the crack filled with adhesive (described above). The uninscribed face is very
fragile with a dry, flaking texture overall. The clay particles in the bag almost certainly flaked from this face. The repaired
break in the tablet is visible on this face, and adhesive is present on the surface. The short end of this face closest to
the repaired reak has losses to both corners, gouges, and flaking. There is a small loss to a third corner. There is a goughed
loss at one edge (also visible on the inscribed face). There are tiny flaking cracks scattered throughout this face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of professions. Water was used to erase the reverse in an effort
to recycle clay for students' exercises.

Translation:1. 'Servant of knowledge'
2. 'Servant of flesh'
3. 'Servant of the smith'

Physical Description: 3 3/8" diameter x 7/8" depth, lentil

Condition: Lenticular tablet with two large clusters of mineral deposits: the first cluster is
on the inscribed face and the second is partially on the edge and partially on the convex face. There is a
loss along the edge near the second cluster. There is another loss at one area of the edge that extends
across the surface on the convex face. There is a shallow loss at the center of the convex face, surrounded
with scratch marks. It is unclear whether these were made while the clay was still wet or after the clay had
dried as the entire tablet is a deep brown color. There are some other minor surface losses and scratches
overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "ur". This
acrographic arrangment was popular among ancient Mesopotamian vocabularies.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with one inscribed face mostly intact and the opposite face
with about half of the inscribed surface lost to spalling. About half of one short side of the intact face is
broken off and is lost. Almost all of the opposite short side is broken and lost, except one corner that is
damaged by a gouge. One long side of this face is broken and spalled, creating a diagonal edge. There are
some shiny white deposits on this face- mostly on one end- that may be salt. The opposite face has lost
about 2/3 of the inscribed surface to spalling. Only one corner is intact; a second corner is broken and lost;
and one whole short side is broken and badly spalled. A deep crack within the tablet is visible at the broken
short side. A hairline crack runs from the broken/spalled short side toward the center of this
face.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of professions.

Condition: Lenticular tablet fragment with large losses overall, particularly along the
edges. Two of the area with losses have modern tool marks, indicating these losses are not ancient. There
is one loss that may have occurred (at least partially) while the clay was still wet: there is a deep ditch on
the convex face and the clay that has been pressed and pushed from this ditch forms a mound on the
opposite face. Portions of both faces have some spalling, however, the losses are deeper on the convex
face. There are some minor surface losses and incomplete cracks overall. A coating has been applied to the
surface of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in sign formation and sound of the KA sign
("mouth"). The text is signed by its scribe, Ur-Ninsun.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that broke into three pieces that where reattached with
clear adhesive. One broken piece is a corner; the tablet also broke approximately across the middle. Both
faces and three of the sides have adhesive visible on the surface at the breaks, and the adhesive has bled
welll beyond the boundaries of the breaks. One face has a small, thin loss along the repaired corner break.
The repaired center break has areas of spalling along the repair, particularly at one edge. The long sides of
the tablet along this break do not fit together cleanly; there is a small gap where the two broken pieces
come together. The opposite face has a deep area of spalling along the corner break and along the second
break; both of these areas are heavily covered with adhesive. There is a smalll hole at the approximate
center of this face that runs into the interior of the tablet. There are scattered white deposits on this face
(one deposit below the corner break is shiny and possibly crystalline). One corner is spalled.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 4 list of stone
objects.

Condition: Disc-shaped tablet that is only inscribed on one face. There are two minor
losses at one edge of the tablet. The uninscribed face has a chip near one edge with a small pit within it.
Across from that there is a gouge. About 2/3 of the uninscribed face is partially spalled.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of professions.

Condition: Disc-shaped tablet with inscription on one face only. It appears to have been
compressed while the clay was still wet, leaving it somewhat misshapen. The tablet broke approximately in
half diagonally; the two pieces were reattached with clear adhesive. Adhesive is visible on the surface of both
faces, but moreso on the uninscribed face. The inscribed face has an area of spalling adjacent to the
repaired break. There are two small, chipped losses at one edge, and both have white material (stone?)
within them. The uninscribed face has a diagonal gouge at one edge that appears to be caused by a strike
from a modern tool. There is a spalled loss at one end of the repaired break. About half of this face has
several shallow, pitted losses. Many of these pitted spots have white material (stone?) within
them.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This elementary exercise in sign and sound formation allowed the new scribe to practice
forming the basic signs: U, BAR and LA2.

Condition: Disc-shaped tablet inscribed on one face only. The tablet has two large
losses at the edge; the larger of the losses is also spalled on the inscribed face. There is a small, chipped
loss at the edge that is more prominent on the uninscribed face. The uninscribed face has a long, diagonal
scratch and small gouge running across center. This appears to be the result of a modern tool
strike.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary exercise allowed the new scribe to practice forming the basic signs:
GAR (to place) and BA (to distribute). Note the presence of a tally at the bottom of the tablet counting the
total number of signs written on the tablet.

Condition: Tablet that is mostly round, but with one disc-shaped edge. A chipped loss is
missing from one edge. The tablet is inscribed on only one face. The inscribed face has several scattered
cracks that are deep but incomplete. These cracks are over-filled with clear adhesive, so adhesive has bled
onto the surface of the face. There is a small, chipped loss at center and another below a large patch of
adhesive. The uninscribed face has a patch of adhesive at one edge covering a crack. The surface is uneven,
with scattered chips and spots of spalling.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet is too damage to reconstruct the text written by a student. This small tablet
was likely an excerpt from a piece of literature.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that has broken into three pieces. These pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. Two of the pieces are much smaller -- the breaks are close to the edge of the
tablet. Along one of the breaks, there is a chip at the edge of one of the breaks, as well as a few other small
losses. There are incomplete cracks on both faces, but more on the convex face. There are two black spots
on one part of the edge. There are other minor surface losses and scratched overall.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is an advanced student's exercise excerpt from Lipit-Eshtar's Praise in the Eduba.
This exercise contains lines 32-33.

Condition: Fragment of a rectangular tablet. One long side has an area of spalling and
two gouges. All of this damage has the same patina as the rest of the fragment, so it is not recent. A small
white sticker with "2" written in blue ink was adhered to the side, between the area of spalling and the
gouges. This sticker was removed at the time of condition reporting. One face has three small areas of light
scraping near the unbroken corner. These areas have a lighter patina than the clay around them and may
have been made by a modern tool strike. The opposite face has an area of spalling on part of one edge,
following the contour of the break.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic student exercise in drafting administrative documents. Administrative
texts are the most prevalent and popular type of ancient Mesopotamian text, so the scribe need ample
practice to master this genre.

Condition: Fragment of a lenticular tablet, with about 1/4 to 1/3 of the tablet missing. The
break has a relatively clean, smooth edge. The clay on one face of the tablet has turned a milky white, but
the other face and the interior (exposed at the break) is orange. The milky-white face has a gouge and an
area of spalling at one edge adjacent to the break, and a long, slender gouge at the edge adjacent to the
opposite end of the break. The orange face has a slender, short crack at one edge.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in compound sign formation. There are notes
between practice signs, presumably from a teacher.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with large losses. Two edges and a portion of a
third edge are jagged from losses. There is a large loss to the surface of one face -- almost half of the depth
of the tablet is missing in that area. The other face has a triangular loss on the surface near one corner. The
remainder of one and a portion of another edge have some minor surface losses. A coating has been applied
to the surface of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student practice contract contains barley loans. The contents of the reverse is
uncertain.

Translation:1. A swift man caught a gazelle,
2. A strong man carried it away,
3. A man having a mouth brought it to the palace.

Physical Description: 4" diameter x 7/8" depth, baked lentil

Condition: Lenticular tablet made of orange clay. Both faces have large areas covered
with a red material. This material may be fill, but on one face, orange clay is visible beneath the red, so it
may be paint. One face has a long, relatively deep crack running for about two inches along one edge. There
is a second, shorter crack to one side of the area covered with red material. The opposite face has a large
circular gouge at one edge. Further above this there is a group of five small gouges. Two of these gouges are
long and slender and appear to be caused by a modern tool. A deeper, long gouge runs immediately
adjacent to one portion of the face that is painted red. One edge of this face- also adjacent to a red area-
also has a deep gouge. There are a few chipped losses along the edge of this face.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that is actively crumbling. There are some surface losses
overall, including some losses at three of the corners. There are modern tool marks at one corner as well as
across one edge. There are some incomplete cracks overall. One particulalry long crack that runs across
most of one edge is covered with a clear adhesive. There is another spot covered with clear adhesive on one
face enar a corner, however, there does not seem to be a crack in this area. There are some white
concretions visible overall.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text is a student practice problem for equivalencies between units of length.

Condition: Fragment of a rectangular tablet. One long side has an area of spalling and
two gouges. All of this damage has the same patina as the rest of the fragment, so it is not recent. A small
white sticker with "2" written in blue ink was adhered to the side, between the area of spalling and the
gouges. This sticker was removed at the time of condition reporting. One face has three small areas of light
scraping near the unbroken corner. These areas have a lighter patina than the clay around them and may
have been made by a modern tool strike. The opposite face has an area of spalling on part of one edge,
following the contour of the break.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that was broken into three pieces and very inexpertly
repaired. The tablet broke approximately in half, and then one small section broke off of one of the halves.
The reattached pieces are badly misaligned, and a large amount of adhesive is applied within breaks and
over much of the surface of both faces. On one face, the point where the smallest piece was reattached has
a deep gouge on the interior edge; tiny fragments are visible but are heavily glued. A large, gouged
crack/loss is at the edge of the tablet where part of the middle-sized reattached piece has been lost. On the
largest reattached piece, there is a small deposit of a white-tan colored material near the edge furthest from
the repaired breaks. The opposite face shows the same losses to the tablet overall that are described above.
Even in the unbroken portion, a large quantity of adhesive covers the face and has run down to the edge of
the tablet. A piece of white fiberous material is stuck in the adhesive. Some small, scattered areas on this
face are dark gray and appear to be actually saturated with adhesive. There are two areas of tan-colored fill
on this face: one is next to where the smallest broken piece is reattached, and the second area is just
below the first.The color of the fill blends with the color of the actual clay of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student practice text contains lists of rations distributed to workers as payment. This tablet has a very unusual
layout.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into two pieces. These two pieces have
been reattached with an adhesive. There are some losses along the break, particularly along the break on
the uninscribed face. On this same face, there are shallow craters. It is unclear whether these were made
when the clay was wet or after the tablet was fired. There is also some spalling and some thin crevices that
are possibly from folds in the clay when it was still wet, or from losses. There is an incomplete hairline crack
near one edge on this face. There are some other minor surface chips and scratches overall. A coating has
been applied to the surface of the tablet overall.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into four pieces. These four pieces have
been reattached with an adhesive. One of these pieces is near the corner and is a surface loss. There are
some losses along portions of one of the breaks. There are notable losses on one edge along the two
breaks that run across this edge. A coating appears to have been applied to the surface of the tablet. There
are many incomplete cracks visible overall, particularly around existing breaks. There is one complete crack
running over an edge. There are some minor losses such as chips and craters on the surface. It is possible
some of these minor losses were created when the clay was still wet.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text was originally a student letter exercise on obverse, which was erased and
replaced with drawing of a goat and fish. Part of the letter is still legible on the reverse.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with losses at two corners. One corner broke off and was
reattached, with some loss to the face. The piece that was reattached is a slightly lighter color. The crack
from the break is still visible on the corner of the face and on the side. The corner diagonally opposite is
partially chipped; this loss is more substantial on the uninscribed face. The tablet appears coated with a
glossy substance.

Condition: Square tablet with a small chip and loss at one corner. Close to the
diagonally opposite corner there is a small loss, but this loss is more clearly visible on one face than on the
other. The tablet does not appear coated. It is lighter in color than many other tablets- it is dark tan rather
than orange.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This beginner's exercise is a practice in sign formation and sound. This tablet is a
possible fake. The scribe wrote the sign for "water" in irregularly shaped columns and cases, transposing
columns on the same face.

Condition: Small, ovoid tablet that has broken into at least five pieces that have been
reattached with clear adhesive. One small reattached piece at the edge is not well fitted and may become
separated again. One face shows far more of the breaks and cracks than the other. One end of this face
appears to have been compressed (by a thumb?) when the clay was still wet. There is a deep crack across
part of the compressed area, with adhesive visible inside. Several additional cracks and breaks are below
this area and spread toward center. The opposite face has much clearer inscription. One break runs across
the tablet with a deep crack running into the break perpendicularly. There is a loss to the tablet below the
small, poorly reattached fragment; this is visible on both faces.

Condition: Cylindrical tablet fragment with an intentional hole running down the center.
The fragment has broken into four pieces. The four pieces have been reattached with an adhesive. The
adhesive is visible in the breaks and on the surface in some areas around the breaks. There are also a
number of crevices and losses, particularly around and by the breaks. There is a small loss that has been
reattached in one of the crevices. There are also other losses to the surface. One end of the tablet has
groove marks across the surface, most likely made by an implement, possibly to break this fragment apart
from another piece. On this same end, there is a deep loss. There are white concretions overall. The
fragment is actively crumbling in some places.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student exercise is practice writing and understanding silver weights comprised of
the whole range of metrological units: grains, shekels, minas and talents.

Condition: This large, rectangular tablet is perforated with a 9/16" hole through its length.
It has been broken into an unknown number of pieces and reassembled using a clear, shiny adhesive. The
adhesive appears to have been applied to all cracks and breaks. The tablet is actively crumbling. Tiny
detached bits can be found in the polyethelene bag. There appear to be deposits/encrustations, possibly
salts, on one end and on the interiror of the perforation as well as on the large surface loss. In general, the
repairs are poorly fit together and the object is extremely fragile.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This advanced exercise is a complete edition of Kesh Temple Hymn. The earliest
attestations of this hymn date back to the Early Dynastic Period (c. 2600-2350 BCE).

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into four pieces. These pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. This clear adhesive is visible along the breaks. One of the pieces was not
properly aligned when reattached and/or there are several losses along this break, because there is a gap
between this piece and the other two pieces. There is a sizeable, deep loss at the center of the tablet where
the breaks converge. There is another loss to the surface of the flat face at a center edge. There are losses
to two of the corners. There are other losses to the surface overall, as well as losses along the breaks.
There are several incomplete cracks visible overall. There are some patches of a a transluscent white
substance overall. There are some small white concretions visible in the crevices of one of the corner losses
and in some of the cuneiform impressions as well.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text is a student practice problem based on a multiplication table for 50. The
reverse contains area measurements.

Condition: A large rectangular tablet with inscriptions retained on only one face. The
tablet has been broken into at least two pieces and repaired. The repairs appear to have been made with a
white glue/adhesive that was coated with dirt or clay to disguise the repair. One face of the tablet is lost and
the remaining piece appears to be approximately 1/2 of a large, perforated tablet. The central channel of
the perforation is still visable on the damaged "face". There is a hole on one edge that resembles those
made by boring insects.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This student vocabular exercise is taken from the Old Babylonian Ura 1 list of wooden
objects. The complete face of the prism is the end of the list, complete with a colophon.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with two losses on the face with more cuneiform
insciriptions. there is one V-shaped gouge, most likely made with a modern tool. There is another pit-like
gouge near one corner. There is a small chip on the other face toward the center of an edge. There is an
incomplete crack measuring about 1" running across one edge. There are some white concretions visible
overall.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text is a student practice problem based on a multiplication table for 9.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a deep, jagged incomplete crack that runs over an
edge across one face. There is a loss along a portion of this crack, and another loss at one corner. A clear
adhesive covers the crack and the two losses. There is another spot of adhesive on one edge, but there is
no crack or loss in this area. There are a few scratches to the surface, most likely made with a modern tool.
There are a few other incomplete cracks on the tablet. There are white concretions visible
overall.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text is a student practice problem based on a multiplication table for 7 1/2.

Condition: Tablet fragment that appears to be a portion of a rectangular tablet. One face
is mostly intact, but the other face has been damaged by losses from spalling, leaving an uneven surface
with varying thicknesses. A deep crack filled with adhesive runs down one side into the corner, where a deep
chunk has been lost. Across from that crack is a small piece of white stone embedded in the clay. Both
faces have scattered black/gray residue. The more damaged face appears to be coated with an unknown
substance. The area around the deep crack is particularly glossy---this may be the same adhesive that is in
the crack.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This student text is a practice tablet of reciprocals of 16,000 (1/16,000). This tablet is a
possible fake.

Condition: Lenticular tablet that has broken into four pieces. The four pieces have been
reattached with an adhesive. There is one main piece and three smaller pieces near the edge of the tablet.
There are three losses along the edge of the tablet that look to have been made by a modern implement.
There is a pit-like gouge close to the edge near the same spot on each face. There are several incomplete
cracks overall on the flat face. There are groove marks overall on the surface, possibly made when the clay
was still wet. There are some groove marks, which look similar to erasure marks, made by hand while the
clay was still wet. The clay ranges in color from darker red-brown with some black patched to a lighter red-
tan color. The three reattached pieces seem to be lighter in color on the convex face compared to the color
of the largest piece. A coating has been applied to the surface of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This brief exercise is a student's vocabulary practice. The colophon on reverse enclosed
in a rectangle, an unusual practice in ancient Mesopotamia.

Condition: Small lenticular tablet with one flattened edge; this edge appears to have been
compressed while the clay was still wet. On one face there is a smooth, even loss at one edge that looks
like a strike from a modern tool. The outside edge of the tablet is unevenly broken here. On the opposite
face, the scrape from the tool is not visible, but the uneven, broken edge is more pronounced. There is a very
small, fine crack near the center of this face. The tablet may have been lightly coated with a clear
substance.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names that begin with "lu2". The
reverse is a study on the phonetic values of the names on the obverse.

Condition: A complete, almost square tablet. There is one pit-like loss on one face. The
tablet is stable and appears well-fired. There is also a distortion of the eclay at one edge that appears to
have happened when the clay was wet.

Language of Material: Akkadian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names. This text is nearly
identical to 96261.

Condition: Tablet is fragmentary; a large section is broken evenly and lost from one end.
There is a loss to one corner. A web of deep, but not complete, cracks radiated out from the lost corner.
There are deep but incomplete cracks on the reverse side which has no cuneiform impressions. There is no
evidence of adhesive; the surface may be coated or the object is well fired. Possible tool mark (from
excavation ?) in broken edge. Other horizontal toolmarks on uninscribed face are probably the result of a
wood stylus (in antiquity).

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary student exercise is practice writing basic vocabulary for metal objects.
This text is not part of a known vocabulary list.

Condition: Long, rectangular tablet with one face mostly intact and the other with
significant losses. The intact face is somewhat convex. It has an incomplete crack approximately 1 1/2
inches long, slighly off-center, running across the incised lines. There are two hairline cracks below the more
damaged edge and several hairline cracks below the damaged edge on the more damaged face. There is
distortion to the opposite end where the wet clay was pushed up. The more damaged face has deep cuts
and losses, probably made by a modern tool during excavation. There are two additional such marks on one
edge of the damaged face. The losses to the damaged face appear to have occured in antiquity, as the
surface patina covers them. Some writing is preserved along one edge of this face.

Condition: Rectangular tablet that has broken into three pieces. The three pieces have
been reattached with an adhesive. There is a deep surface loss on the uninscribed face where the breaks
converge. There are other small losses along the breaks at three of the corners as well as on the surface
overall. There are incomplete cracks overall. There are patches of a yellow-brown substance on the surface
visible throughout -- this is possibly dirt. A coating has been applied to the surface of the tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This elementary student exercise is practice writing basic vocabulary for plants. This text is not part of a known vocabulary
list.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with a large portion lost so that two of the edges
are quite uneven. The fragment has broken into eight pieces. These pieces have been reattached with an
adhesive. The clear adhesive is visible along portions of the breaks. Two of the pieces are actually roughly a
portion of the tablet that has split in half depth-wise. A few of the other pieces are much smaller than others.
There are losses along the breaks creating jagged edges and crevices. There is an area near one of the
edges on the convex face that is spalling. There are incomplete cracks and other minor surface losses
overall. A coating has been applied to the surface of the fragment.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise is practice writing personal names beginning with the deity
name "Nanna". The reverse is a selection from the Old Babylonian word list Proto-An = Anum.

Condition: Tablet worked only on one face. The inscribed face has a shallow
loss/abrasion at one corner. The clay on the inscribed face is pale greenish-gray in color, very different from
most of the other tablets. One end of it is almost milky-white in color. The opposite face is heavily covered
with a black residue, but it also has flecks of a bright white substance. There are two gashes to one side on
this face. There is a a small gouge on the short side of the tablet close to these gashes.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic exercise is a student's vocabulary practice in professions taken from the list
Lu A. This student practice has glosses to assist the student in learning to pronounce the signs and
words.

Condition: A fragment of what must have been a large tablet. The clay is a bright red,
and the surface appears to have been treated with some type of coating. This fragment has been
reassembled from four or more pieces adhered together with an unidentified, clear adhesive. There is a
triangular-shaped, red-colored fill on one face. On the same face there is a gouge that is probably a tool
mark made during excavation.

Condition: A lenticular tablet that has broken into numerous pieces and been
reassembled. The fragments have been attached with an unidentified, clear adhesive. One small fragment
has recently detached and is in the poly bag. This appears to be lost through spalling due to salt crystals.
The area with the loss has a build up of a white concretion material, probably salt. There is a long gouge
running vertically down the convex face that appears to have been made when the clay was wet. The convex
face has multiple hairline cracks.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This advanced student exercise is a literary excerpt from a hymn to the goddess
Inanna. The second column is blank. This format is an unusual exercise and layout.

Box 18

Item: 4 Cotsen ID: 96274a-e
School text, literary exercise from Gilgamesh and the Bull of Heaven Old Babylonian - Period (c. 1900-1600 BCE)

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment that has broken into five pieces. These pieces
have been reattached with an adhesive. This adhesive is visible in portions of the crack. There are deep
crevices along the breaks due to several losses, particularly on the face with less cuneiform impressions.
There is a large loss at one corner. An incomplete crack extends from one of the breaks on the face with
more cuneiform impressions. There are two deep scores across one edge made by a modern implement.
There are some minor surface losses throughout. A coating has been applied to at least a portion of the
surface.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This advanced student exercise is a literary excerpt from Gilgamesh and the Bull of
Heaven. The text is signed by its scribe.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with a loss at one corner. Marks at this corner indicate a
modern tool created this loss. On one face, there is a gouge that looks like it was created with an
implement. It is unclear if this gouge was formed when the clay was still wet, or if the damage occurred after
firing. There are a few minor surface losses. A coating has been applied to the surface of the
tablet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise allowed the scribe to practice writing the month names from
the Nippur calendar. Each major city in the Ur III period had its own unique list and ordering of month
names.

Condition: This tablet fragment was broken into three pieces and reattached using a
clear adhesive. Two of the three pieces are corner pieces. Two corners are broken and lost. There is
adhesive visible in the cracks where the three pieces were rejoined- there are some knotched losses at one
side, and the flat edge of one corner is missing. Where the pieces were rejoined there are some deep holes,
but they are small in diameter; these holes are the result of losses to the reattached pieces. The opposite
face is mostly lost through spalling and is rough and uneven. The original surface of the tablet remains along
one edge, where the inscription is retained. The tablet fragment appears to be coated with a glossy
substance. A dark black substance is scattered on both faces.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise allowed the scribe to practice writing the year names from
the First Babylonian dynasty (c. 1894-1595 BCE). Based on the year names it is likely this tablet dates to
Ammi-ditana, year 15 (c. 1670 BCE).

Condition: Tablet with two small gouged losses near diagonally opposite corners on one
face. On the opposite face, a piece has cracked off one corner and is lost. About 2/3 of this face has been
abraded (?) and is smooth. There are scattered black spost over all surfaces of the tablet. The tablet may be
lightly coated.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic student exercise in drafting administrative documents. The date of this
text is given as Rim-Suen, year 20 (c. 1802 BCE).

Condition: The tablet has been broken and repaired. 96283a-b do not form a complete
object, the tablet is still missing a portion from one end. Tablet appears well-fired and surface may be
coated. There are tool marks on the broken edge indicating that the object may have been broken during
excavation. There is a scraped area on one face that may also have occurred during
excavation.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This tablet contains a student's exercise in writing a contract for a silver loan. The text
is signed by the scribe Suen-nawir.

Condition: Rectangular tablet fragment with losses to two of the corners. There are
surface losses extending from one of the corner losses. The surface at these losses is uneven and jagged
and there is some spalling. There are other minor surface losses and incomplete cracks
overall.

Condition: The tablet is complete but one corner has been broken and reattached. The
repair is poor; the two fragments are not properly matched. The clay of this tablet is unusually light in color
but may be the result of firing conditions. There is a small loss to one of the corners adjacent to the repair
and a smaller loss on the other adjacent corner. There are encrustations on both faces.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise allowed the scribe to practice writing the lists of morning
and evening provisions for Ninlil's second shrine. This text is a duplicate of 96287.

Condition: Tablet has been broken in two pieces repaired. Clay appears well fired.
Adhesive is contained within damaged area. Surface is not coated. There appears to be mineral deposits
(salts ?) vertically along one side. (Some adhesive may have darkened an area of the deposits).

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This basic student exercise allowed the scribe to practice writing the lists of morning
and evening provisions for Ninlil's second shrine. This text is a duplicate of 96286.

Condition: Rectangular tablet with losses to an entire face. One face is uneven and rough
from crater-like losses and spalling. There are two chips near one corner on this face that may have broken
off and been reattached. There is a loss at one corner and three pit-like losses on the inscribed face. There
are other minor losses overall. There are white concretions, possibly soluble salts, visible overall, primarily
on the uninscribed face with all of the losses. The tablet is actively crumbling.

Language of Material: unclear

Scope and Content Note

This text is a student practice problem for equivalencies between units of length.

Condition: Rectangular tablet of grey-tan clay. There are significant losses to at one
corner. There are mineral deposits on the surface of this loss, possibly salts (?) On this same face, there
are two deep grooves that were created with an implement. It is possible these were made while the clay
was still wet. Alternatively, these could have been made with a modern tool. There are some incomplete
cracks, other minor surface losses, a nd a few white concretions overall. The raised portions of the surface
have a slight sheen -- this sheen is possibly the result of handling and wear or from a coating.

Condition: Rectangular cuneiform tablet that has split approximately in half resulting in one face being almost completely separated.
The face was reattached with adhesive - one edge of the face has adhesive over the surface. In one corner of the area covered
by adhesive, there is a small base piece of the tablet that may have become detached but was readhered. The diagonally opposite
corner of the reattached face has a deep loss that is covered with adhesive. The face was not reattached well - there is
a wide seam between the 2 rejoined pieces. The partially inscribed face has a patch of adhesive at one edge. There is a
deposit on the surface within the deposit lower down.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This early administrative document records lists of individuals, probably workers for the state.

Condition: Lenticular tablet with one piece on the edge broken and rattached. The repair
was not expertly done, as there is a wide seam between the reattached pieces. Only one face of the tablet
is inscribed. There is a gouge at the edge of the inscribed face near one end of the reattached break. The
gouge appears to be from a modern tool, as it does not have the same patina as the rest of the tablet. There
is a large compressed area on this face, close to the reattached break. This may be an impression (of a
thumb?) from when the clay was still wet. There is a a small hole in the face near one edge of the
compression. A white circular sticker inscribed "203 [underlined]" was affixed near the edge; the sticker has
been removed. The plain face of the tablet has a large gouged loss along the seam of the reattached break.
The loss is covered with adhesive. Two thin cracks run from the break to the edge of the tablet. There is a
small hole near the center of the tablet. About 1/3 of this face near an edge is comressed flat- this probably
occurred while the clay was still wet.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This advanced student exercise is from a praise poem of Iddin-Dagan (version B), who
was king under the First Dynasty of Isin, from 1974-1954 BCE. This excerpt includes the final line (79).

Condition: Rectangular tablet inscribed on one face only. One corner of the inscribed
face has been pushed inward; it appears that this compression took place while the clay was still wet. The
uninscribed face has a long, diagonal gash near center, apparently the result of a modern tool strike. There
is a chipped loss at the corner of the face near one end of this gash. A white circular sticker with "92."
written in black ink was affixed to one short side of the tablet; the sticker has been removed.

Language of Material: Sumerian

Scope and Content Note

This is a basic vocabulary exercise in writing various types of wooden objects.

Condition: Cuneiform tablet fragment with uneven breaks and losses around all edges.
One long side of the fragment has deep cracks that may need to be stabilized. One face has a small but
deep hole near one edge. The tablet has a large and deep loss below that hole- part of the fragment that
remains intact in that area may be the remains of an envelop. The opposite face has areas of spallng at both
short edges and a small area of spalling at one long edge. A white circular sticker with "94." written in ink
was affixed to one broken short side; the sticker has been removed.